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Navigating the homebuying process can be exceptionally stressful, but it is also an exhilarating time, especially if it is your first house. You might find yourself drowning in complex paperwork, inundated with requests for more information, and reminders that you must pay attention to even the finest detail.
Fortunately, a trusted, reliable real estate professional like you will find at https://www.kristahomes.com will make the process look easy. These experts have years in the industry, allowing them to guide you seamlessly from making the offer through to your closing date.
You might believe it is time to relax at that point but becoming complacent is not in the cards just yet. When moving into a new house, some things need immediate attention.
Usually, a real estate agent will offer recommendations, particularly to a first-time homebuyer. Let us examine some things to take care of as a new homeowner.
What Happens After the Real Estate Closing
After the real estate closing, there will be cause for celebration for having navigated the complexities of buying a new house and coming out unscathed. A professional real estate agent is integral in ensuring the process is seamless to keep stress levels to a minimum and avoid the possibility of being overwhelming.
Still, once the last line is signed, that is not the end of the road. Some things still need to be accomplished immediately upon taking ownership.
Most agents will fill their clients in on these tasks, especially for those new to homeownership. Follow below for critical steps to take when preparing to move into your home, and then click here to learn a few secrets not well-known about buying a home.
● Consider your security first and foremost
On closing, the real estate agent will supply you with all the house keys and keycodes for the garage. The professional will advise that you immediately have these changed.
The security measure is not only in case the previous owners forgot about keys that they might still have but since the sellers could have provided duplicate keys to numerous other people putting your safety at risk.
Investing in a locksmith is worthwhile for optimum protection, plus you can decide the level of complexity and convenience with the locksmith’s guidance. If there is an alarm system, it is worthwhile to have either the current provider reconfigures the equipment for your security or choose a new company to remove the old one.
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● Review the specifics of the home warranty
Sometimes, a seller will provide a home warranty to cover major components within the home, like appliances or specific systems. These are advantageous to the buyer if an older appliance suddenly malfunctions, or the heating and cooling shut down.
Immediately upon taking ownership, it is vital to sit down and review the logistics of the home warranty to fully understand what will be covered and the process for submitting a claim.
If this was not part of the closing, it is worth buying one regardless of if the house has closed. The market has a vast range of home warranties with coverage for different elements. The suggestion is to ensure you are covered for the costliest items and those with the greatest likelihood of malfunction.
● Do not forget the utilities
Before moving in, ensure you take the opportunity to phone for your utility services to be established and turned on. These will likely include gas, water, and electricity. Doing this before moving in will allow you to work through any potential challenges that arise, as they sometimes do.
In fact, there is usually a bit of “red tape” that comes with each vendor meaning you will want to do your research on the local providers in your new neighborhood and contact them to find out precisely what you will need to navigate the hook-up process.
There could be a proof of residency requirement, plus you will need to know how far ahead they will need to get the services.
● Maintenance will depend on the home inspection report
The home inspection flags problems that exist within the house that the seller chose not to fix. If you decide to accept a house in an “as-is” condition, it means you will be handling even the most extensive renovations, repairs, and maintenance regardless of the expense. That could involve putting on a new roof or possibly putting in a new furnace.
The point of the home inspection is to disclose to the homebuyer the extent of the wear and tear of the property, where fixes need to be made to bring it up to optimum functionality.
These are issues you genuinely need to consider handling while living in the home, perhaps not immediately, depending on the urgency, but at some point.
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● Survey the property to find all crucial components
When moving into a new house, you must locate essential components you might not otherwise have considered until an emergency happens, like the circuit box or shut-off valves.
A consideration before coming to closing actually is to reach out to the seller’s agent to request the appliance manuals for the household so that you can be sure of the functionality.
For a circuit breaker without labels, take the time to create these to know what switches operate for the various rooms and with the appliances. For any manuals you cannot get, manufacturers tend to put these online on their websites for homeowner convenience.
Final Thought
While getting to the point of closing is an accomplishment, it is not the final step in the process. Critical things must be taken care of before you actually move into your new home. When a real estate agent is on top of things, they will explain these necessities, usually following closing.
Often the best professionals will reach out a brief time after closing is over to pass on reminders concerning these tasks and to ensure that everything is going well.
As a first-time homebuyer, having an agent guiding you through the purchase well into your move-in decreases the fears of the unknown and allows the joy of contemplating the future.
