Moving Into A New House? Here are 5 Things You Need To Do ASAP

When it’s time to move, you’ve got a lot of things to think about, not least of which being the logistics involved. First, know that it will take an average of sixty days to three months for you to close on a house. You’ve got credit checks to contend with, loans, inspections, changes to associated agreements, and the list goes on. Once you’ve finally closed on the house, there is a mess of work that will need to be done, and it’s going to seem a bit daunting at first. However, provided you don’t let yourself be overcome by the workload, you may be surprised how quickly it goes. You just want to take things one at a time, and avoid looking at the total picture.

There’s a parable that will help. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. So here, we’ll help you get the elephant of your new house properly digested, if you will. Consider the following.

Get To Know The Neighbors If That’s Agreeable

If you’re moving to a new house, unless it’s a little house in the middle of some Wyoming prairie with no other neighbors for a hundred miles, you’re going to have neighbors. Now, your neighbors can help you. Also, even if they’re disagreeable people, that’s something good to know from the outset. You need to know who lives around you. Sometimes you’ll form lasting friendships with those who live adjacent to your property. Other times, you’ll realize that some people are to be avoided at all costs. Neighborhoods should be one of the things that help you decide to purchase a new house. The thing is, especially given the insanity of the real estate market since 2020, you don’t always have that option.

If you’re moving from New York City or California to a state like Montana, you’ll find several things right away. One, the housing markets in midwest states are still competitive, meaning you may have to choose the house you can get over the house you want. Two, you’re probably going to pay a little more than the value of that house. So you might well end up in a neighborhood where you’ve got no idea who the neighbors are. Once the ink is tired on the paperwork for your mortgage, or the deed of the property has been transferred to you through an outright purchase in full, you want to go around the neighborhood and introduce yourself; this helps you understand the social “lay of the land”.

Move All Your Things In And Position Them

According to the experts from movers in Anderson, SC, moving is always going to be a bit of a complicated undertaking. You’ve got to categorize all your possessions and transport them to a new location. Sometimes your new home is on a hill, and you’ll have to walk that hill carrying some unreasonably heavy cabinet or couch. As with the elephant analogy, take it one “bite” at a time. First, get everything moved. Then, organize what you’ve moved by category; furniture should be in one area, things like towels and toiletries in another. Then, start putting everything away. Once you’re done, have a place to store the boxes and luggage you used in the move. That, or simply throw out such items; whatever is best.

Be Sure Utilities Are Properly Understood

At the top of this “to do” list is transferring utilities. When you buy a new home, the situation surrounding utilities may not be the same. For example, if you buy a house in Good Year, Arizona, there’s a good chance it will come with solar panels. Those solar panels will likely have to be rented at a cost of around $250 a month; though sometimes they’re included with the property. Or, you could buy them outright from the leasing agency—but their price may be higher than the actual value of the panels, so you need to know what those panels are worth. Generally it’s about one dollar per Watt per panel, and about fifty cents for connective equipment.

So a 3.2 kWh solar array would be worth about $4,800 prior installation; all told you shouldn’t spend more than $10k to own such a system. If they won’t let you buy the house without the solar array on lease, and they won’t let you buy it, you may want to find another property. Well, not all states are the same as Arizona; in some you’ll have a terrible time finding solar panels. But other utilities could have their idiosyncrasies. Gas-powered heat, electric heat, water, garbage collection, and lawn maintenance; all could have a cost, or they could be covered by a blanket charge under an HOA. Figure these things out as soon as you move in so you know what the right steps to take are.

Make A List Of Things To Do, Price Them Out

Once you’ve moved in, know the neighbors, and have the utilities all figured out, you’ll want to fix all the little chores that need to be fixed. Here’s a “to do list” format to consider. Repainting some walls will be necessary, you’ll have to install sink fixtures and appliances, you might have to finish the basement or the attic. It can be wise to make a list prior to putting all your possessions in place, but it will depend on the property.

Prioritize The “To Do” List You’ve Put Together

Once you have your “to do” list, you need to prioritize it based on the things you actually need to get done, the things you’d like to get done, and the things that can’t be done without external help. Once you’ve got this list put together, check each item off sequentially as it’s possible.

Getting The Right Things Done

Prioritizing “to do” lists, and establishing them, are important first steps. So also are understanding the utilities of your new community and the neighborhood. Also, make sure you get unpacked quickly. Get these things done as fast as you can when you move into a new home.