Hi friends, today I wanted to share with you 8 things you should do before you move into your new home. Moving into a new home is so exciting, but you still want to make sure you take the proper steps to ensure you don't run into issues in the future!

Change your locks

When you move into a new home, you should change the locks on your house. You have no idea how many copies of the house keys are floating around out there from the previous homeowners, so changing the locks will keep your new house more secure. 

Service your HVAC

It is important to get the HVAC serviced to ensure everything is working properly. Heating and Air Conditioning equipment, no matter what kind you have, should be inspected, cleaned, and serviced at least once a year. The best scenario is to have the heating system checked in the Fall and the air conditioning checked in the Spring.

Deep clean your fridge

If you are buying the fridge from the seller, you will want to give it a deep clean, for a fresh start in your new home! The fridge is the focal point of a kitchen, but since it's always stocked with groceries, it can be tricky to remember that it needs to be cleaned too. In fact, because your fridge holds everything from leftover take out to the raw chicken you plan to roast for dinner, it should be cleaned thoroughly–and perhaps more often than you think.

Paint before unpacking

Painting before moving in is definitely the better option – an empty space is more easily accessible and less time consuming to paint. Besides, painting the home in advance means that it will be completely ready on move-in day, so you will be able to set up the space right away and make it functional and comfortable from the very beginning.

Change your air filters

It is important to change the air filters so you know you are moving into a home with great air quality. Not only do clean air filters improve your home’s air quality, but they also increase energy efficiency. Clogged and dirty air filters require your HVAC system to work harder to push air through your system. This results in higher energy usage, leading to higher energy bills. Changing your air filters can actually pay for itself in lower utility bills.

Setup mail forwarding

Whether you’re moving somewhere temporarily or permanently, you should opt to forward all of your mail when moving. This way, you won’t miss important correspondence from friends, family, government agencies or banks. All you need to do to forward your mail is fill out an official USPS change of address form.

Check smoke detectors and carbon dioxide detectors.

Even though they were likely checked during the home inspection, its still good to double check! Test every smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector in the house, replacing batteries if they’re in good shape, and replacing them completely if they’re not. Also, check on their locations within the house. You may find they’re not in the right places, or you’ve areas that could be monitored better.

Locate shut-off valves

When you move into a new home, one of the very first things you’ll want to do is know how to find main water shut off in the house. If there is ever an emergency, like a burst pipe flooding your property, you’ll need to access this valve immediately so that no new water can enter your home. Being able to quickly know where to find the main water shut off valve in a house can save you thousands of dollars in the event of an emergency. Taking the time to locate it now can prevent a major disaster down the line. 

Schedule your first pest spray

It is important to get a one time full interior and exterior treatment before you move into your home to ensure any pests are taken care of. By using pest control services in a new home, you can prevent many of these pests from invading your space. Establishing a proactive pest control service in your home while it is brand new will prevent your home from experiencing an insect or pest infestation.

I hope you have found this blog post super helpful. If there is anything else we can do for you, including helping you sell (or buy) a home, I would be honored to assist. I hope you have a great day/evening. Cheers, E + J.

YouTube PlayLists to Check Out

We are so happy you found our little corner of the interwebs. We look forward to y'all reaching out to us. We love to answer questions and welcome them. Recently we created some local maps, and you can download those by clicking the image/link above. Below, you will find an index of some very helpful information to assist you in learning more about the Houston suburbs. If you are relocating to our neck of the woods, we hope you reach out to us, because we would love to help you by being your local realtor and friend. Thoughtfully written for you. Hugs, Jo.

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If you are looking to relocate to the Houston Area, we would love to meet you, and hear your story. Below you will find all of my contact information, as well as some homes for sale in the area. We truly look forward to hearing from you! P.S. Don't forget to check out our YouTube Channel!

If you are overwhelmed..

Now if you are feeling overwhelmed on where you should plant your roots, I would love to talk to you. You can schedule a call with me by click this link: http://byjoandco.com/call or just send us an email: [email protected]. There are some amazing communities all over the Houston suburbs. In this post, https://search.byjoandco.com/blog/best-neighborhoods-in-houston/, I deep dive into all the different suburbs/neighborhoods that you might want to consider, and why. There are many resources here, so please reach out if you are curious what to look at next! Thank you for trusting us.

What next?!

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