Congratulations, on buying a home! If you’re like most people, moving in is at the top of your to-do list. Second might be repainting or making other updates to the home's appearance. However, if you can, you may want to do these five things before anything else.
1. Change the Locks
Unless you’ve bought a new home and the builder provided means for you to re-key the locks, you should change all the locks to the home. You never know who may still have a key, like a babysitter, dog walker, or even an old homeowner. Also, make sure all the windows are locked and, if there’s a keypad to the garage, change the code there. Ensuring your family’s safety should be at the top of your list of things to do after buying a home.
2. Check Smoke Detectors
Although your home inspector may have tested a few detectors throughout the home, they may have missed others or batteries may have been removed during the move out. Take every smoke detector down, check its date (remember, they expire after 10 years), clean to remove any dust, then replace the batteries. If the home doesn’t have a smoke detector inside and outside every bedroom, add them. It’s also advisable to purchase at least one fire extinguisher for each floor of the home.
3. Take Care of Your HVAC System
In the Tampa Bay area, your HVAC system runs on cool much more frequently than any other setting. It also runs a lot. Clean air filters and proper maintenance can help keep your HVAC system running as it should and as long as possible. Unless you have a receipt from the previous owner for a system tune-up in the past year, doing it now can save you money and frustration.
4. Perform Simple Maintenance
Although the previous homeowner may have had the house cleaned after they moved out, cleaning companies often only handle surface cleaning. That means you have some cleaning to do. If the refrigerator conveyed, pull it out and clean underneath it and around the coils in the back. This will help prevent it from needing repair in the future.
The dryer vent is another item you should maintain now and then once a year. It’s much easier to take care of cleaning the vent before the dryer is installed. Lastly, check the gutters. If they have filled with debris since the inspection, chances are the previous owner did not clean them out often enough. Make sure to do so.
5. Get to Know Your House
Buying a home is exciting. Although you know how many bedrooms and bathrooms there are and where the doors are, there may be a lot you don’t know. For example, you should know where your emergency shut-off valves are. Knowing where the water shut-off valve is can save your home thousands in water damage should there be an issue. If there’s gas, locate that emergency shut-off as well.
Jason Duraj and his team at Future Home Realty can help you buy or sell your home. Because of our extensive experience in the Tampa Bay market, we also know many highly-rated contractors who can help you with your to-do list before you list your home with us or when you buy a home with our assistance. Call us today at (813) 992-7771 to speak with one of our team members.
