What to Do When You Get Your House Keys
September 6, 2018
If you are buying a home with an FHA mortgage there are several areas you should consider when you take ownership of your new house.
Some people never think about changing the locks, checking the breaker box, or inspecting fire detectors, but these areas are crucial in the earliest days of home ownership.
After Your FHA Loan Closing Date, Change Your Locks
When you have moved into the property you purchased with your FHA home loan, it’s a very good idea to have front and back door locks changed, as well as your garage door.
It isn’t that the seller is not trustworthy or that your real estate agent won’t suggest this, but you simply don’t know who else has keys to the property when it was owned by another person. “Better safe than sorry” is a very good philosophy when it’s time to consider swapping locks on your new home.
If your new home has an alarm system, it’s a very good idea to change any codes or passwords right away. You don’t know who else has access to the security system under the previous codes or passwords, it’s not unreasonable to want change these items immediately.
When Moving In, Inspect Your Circuit Breaker and Other Systems
Check your circuit breaker box just to make sure something isn’t tripped or in need of being reset. It’s also a very good idea to search for all safety valves or shut-off switches for gas, water, propane, etc.
Know the location and operating features of your home’s water heater, sump pump (where applicable) and make sure all valves that you want to be “on” are actually in the on position.
Check Your Alarms
Replace all batteries in smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, etc. You don’t know how old those batteries are and it’s another case of better safe than sorry where protection of your home is concerned.
Change Your Filters
Change any A/C filters, clean the lint trap in your dryer, and make sure any water purification systems have fresh scrubbers/filters/etc. It’s never safe to assume these items are new, clean, or have any shelf life remaining when you move in.
Forward Your Mail
This is an easy step to forget and also a very obvious reminder. But there is a very good reason why adding “mail forwarding” to your move-in top ten to-do items is important; you want to make sure you get any loan documents or other forms that pertain to the mortgage in a timely manner.
Your lender obviously has your new address, but if you have hazard insurance requirements or other items that may be handled by a third party, you will want to get those documents as soon as possible.
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RELATED VIDEOS:
A Good Faith Estimate Provides Mortgage Information
Measuring Your Loan-to-Value Ratio
FHA Programs for First-Time Homebuyers
Some people never think about changing the locks, checking the breaker box, or inspecting fire detectors, but these areas are crucial in the earliest days of home ownership.
After Your FHA Loan Closing Date, Change Your Locks
When you have moved into the property you purchased with your FHA home loan, it’s a very good idea to have front and back door locks changed, as well as your garage door.
It isn’t that the seller is not trustworthy or that your real estate agent won’t suggest this, but you simply don’t know who else has keys to the property when it was owned by another person. “Better safe than sorry” is a very good philosophy when it’s time to consider swapping locks on your new home.
If your new home has an alarm system, it’s a very good idea to change any codes or passwords right away. You don’t know who else has access to the security system under the previous codes or passwords, it’s not unreasonable to want change these items immediately.
When Moving In, Inspect Your Circuit Breaker and Other Systems
Check your circuit breaker box just to make sure something isn’t tripped or in need of being reset. It’s also a very good idea to search for all safety valves or shut-off switches for gas, water, propane, etc.
Know the location and operating features of your home’s water heater, sump pump (where applicable) and make sure all valves that you want to be “on” are actually in the on position.
Check Your Alarms
Replace all batteries in smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, etc. You don’t know how old those batteries are and it’s another case of better safe than sorry where protection of your home is concerned.
Change Your Filters
Change any A/C filters, clean the lint trap in your dryer, and make sure any water purification systems have fresh scrubbers/filters/etc. It’s never safe to assume these items are new, clean, or have any shelf life remaining when you move in.
Forward Your Mail
This is an easy step to forget and also a very obvious reminder. But there is a very good reason why adding “mail forwarding” to your move-in top ten to-do items is important; you want to make sure you get any loan documents or other forms that pertain to the mortgage in a timely manner.
Your lender obviously has your new address, but if you have hazard insurance requirements or other items that may be handled by a third party, you will want to get those documents as soon as possible.
------------------------------
RELATED VIDEOS:
A Good Faith Estimate Provides Mortgage Information
Measuring Your Loan-to-Value Ratio
FHA Programs for First-Time Homebuyers
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