Protecting Your Home Purchase
Congratulations on your home purchase! Here’s a list of some simple low cost things to do to protect your new investment.
- Change the locks on your new home. Check online for a local locksmith or if you are a weekend warrior, check Lowes and Home Depot for immediate new locks on every entry door.
Locksmith Name ________________________Phone ___________________.
- Reset Key codes for garages, gates, entry doors etc.
Door location _____________________________ Code ___________________
Door location _____________________________ Code ___________________
Door location _____________________________ Code ___________________
Door location _____________________________ Code ___________________
- Hide an extra key in a lockbox (not a location that others know about.) Hiding the key under a fake rock doesn’t work. Get a lockbox that is accessible to you and keep your spare key there.
- Test your smoke and Carbon Monoxide detectors. You have a regular day to change the batteries, but this home is new to you, so make sure the batteries work now.
- Check Water heater temp – set it the way you like it (normal is 120 degrees)
- Check lights – make sure security lights and motion sensor lights have functioning bulbs.
- Make sure each floor and kitchen have a place to keep your fire extinguisher.
- Run through the lights and any appliances work. Set up folders for service provider, date of service and contact information. In a new location, you may need to find new service providers, even when bringing your own appliances. Checking this info now, will save frustration later.
- Keep your original mortgage loan, survey and title documents together, whether in a file or envelope, in a safe location. When you receive your final title paperwork, add it to this file, for future reference.