Best Polk County Realtor | Lakeland Realtor
Consider These Simple Tips When You Move Into a New House
Moving into a new home, whether it is a new construction or resale, can be both exciting and stressful. On top of coordinating with moving companies, escrow companies, and possibly preparing for a new job or schools, you also have to worry about getting your house set up to live in.
This can be a daunting task, and one that we are often times anxious to get done right away. Of course, we typically want to start living in our new homes ASAP! However, when it comes to moving into a resale home there are a few items to consider doing before you start settling in all the way. Amazing Architecture has compiled a great list of “to-do” items when you first move which we will share here with you.
1. CHANGE THE EXTERIOR LOCK
The very first priority when you move into a resale home should be to change the exterior locks. Unless the seller already did this as part of their pre-sell checklist, new locks on the exterior doors is basically a necessity. Even though the seller has turned over copies of the keys, you never know how many friends and family members have copies from over the years. Additionally, some people make copies of gate keys or door keys for lawn maintenance companies or house cleaning companies. The last thing you want to be wondering about is who can get into your new home, right?
Changing the locks is usually not too costly, and if you are fairly handy it is not too difficult of a “do-it-yourself” job. Something to consider is an upgrade to a “keyless” or electronic keypad lock, at least on the front door. These door locks can be unlocked with a pin code, which avoids having to make copies of keys for guests, family, or house keepers. There are even “smart” locks available now which can be controlled by your phone, and even provide alerts.
2. PUT SOME PAINT ON IT
Next on your list of considerations should be paint. This might be some simple detailing or touch up, or it can be a total make over. Either way, this will be much easier to do with an empty house, before you get all of your furniture moved in and TV’s on the walls.
The only difficulty with doing it first might be coordinating colors with your overall design and feel. Some people really need to visualize the space with their furniture before they are able to decide on wall colors. However, if you can plan ahead a bit, painting the interior will go much faster without having to cover furniture and floors or worrying about drips and splashes. This is especially true if you are planning to replace the floors…which is our next consideration.
Don’t underestimate how impactful a fresh coat of paint can be in your new home. Did you know that you can really set a tone and feel for your new space with the color of your walls? With a hundred different shades of “white” available nowadays, finding the right color can be overwhelming! CLICK HERE FOR A QUICK GUIDE on some of 2021’s most popular colors.
3. IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE FLOORING, NOW IS THE TIME
If you are moving into a home that needs new carpet, or you plan on replacing the floors, the easiest time to do it will be before you move in. There are few things more frustrating than getting all of your furniture placed and set up, only to have to move it all out of the way again in order to replace flooring. Setting up furniture is labor intensive and time consuming, and finding places to store your furniture and bedding while floors are being installed can be difficult.
If you can budget to do this before your furniture arrives, you will save yourself a ton of time and headache!
If you are not planning on replacing the floors or carpet just yet, then depending on the state of the existing floors, you should at least consider doing a deep cleaning on them. Again, this is infinitely easier to do when there is no furniture in the way. Additionally, as mentioned above, it is smart to get any painting done before you replace your floors, so that you don’t have to worry about paint spills on your new flooring or carpet.
4. SERVICE THE EQUIPMENT
Your home inspection will include an inspection of the HVAC and plumbing, however, this inspection is usually very simple. It usually is only to determine that equipment is up to code and in working condition. If you are moving into a house that is 10 years old or older, you should invest in having your HVAC and plumbing properly cleaned and serviced. This can extend the life of your equipment, improve its efficiency, and can prevent a premature failure or replacement. In some cases, it may help to identify any looming issues that may need to be addressed down the road.
For HVAC, this can be a seasonal “tune-up” or even a duct cleaning. For plumbing, this can include something like hydro jetting the main lines. Another really important maintenance item that many people don’t think about is water heater maintenance. It is recommended that your water heater is drained annually as part of regular maintenance. However, most people never do this. By draining your water heater, you remove build up sediment that can damage your tank and heater core. It is an affordable and simple maintenance tip that can really improve how well your water heater works.
5. NOW IT’S TIME FOR A DEEP CLEAN
The last thing you should consider before moving in all of your belongings is to schedule a deep clean with a professional cleaning service. With no furniture in the way, a cleaning service can really get access. This may include baseboards, windowsills, and doors. Additionally, they will be able to get all corners of your counters and shelves.
If you already have appliances in the home, they can do a great deep clean on them. This may include the oven, microwave, and fridge.
A cleaning service is great not just because they get the dirt and grime up, but also because they often use cleaning products that can disinfect surfaces. You will have peace of mind knowing that your surfaces and home are clean, disinfected, and fresh with a cleaning service.
Now You Can Finally Settle In
With these important items taken care of, you will finally be able to settle into your new home knowing that it is clean and safe. You can focus on getting your home decorated and moved in completely, without the overhanging burden of worrying about painting or cleaning.
Best Polk County Realtor Tips
DRJ Real Estate is Polk County’s best realtor group! We have been helping people move in and out of Polk County, Florida, and Lakeland, for over a decade. Our team provides the highest level of support, knowledge, and efficiency for all of your real estate needs.
We also offer online seller’s and buyer’s courses to help you learn all the best home selling tips and buyer’s secrets. CHECK THEM OUT!!
If you are looking to move into the beautiful Polk County Florida area, or you are looking to sell your house, then CONTACT DRJ REAL ESTATE right now to put us to work for you! We are Polk County’s premier, full service real estate team that specializes in Polk County and Lakeland real estate.
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Best Polk County Realtor | Lakeland Realtor
