You’ve got your first home, whether it’s an inherited one or one where you spent time agonizing over whether you were going to be able to get it as you waited for word from the real estate agent. It’s yours now. As exciting as it all is, there are a few things that you should know before you move in.
See How Old The Appliances Are
If it’s a newly built house, this isn’t going to be as much of an issue. If it’s an older place, and you don’t know the age of the air conditioner and the furnace, you should think about replacing them. According to Comfort Central HVAC, an air conditioner lasts about 12-15 years and a furnace can last up to 25 years. If it looks like they were both bought around the time of the George W. Bush administration, it’s time to think about new ones.
See How Long the Move Is
This one depends on how big the place is that you’re moving into. For example, according to Apartment Guide, a two-bedroom move should take between three and five hours. You also need to see how many things you have, too, and whether you’re moving across town or to another state. It might be a good idea to hire movers since if you try to DIY, things could go wrong.
The best way to do that, even if you’re using a moving company, is to get supplies. This mainly means boxes and packing tape. The movers can even help you pack certain things and unpack them when you get to your new home. This highlights another reason to use movers —they will be insured. If something breaks, then their insurance will cover it. That might not be the case if you DIY.
Make a Plan
There are a lot of things that go into moving into a place. You need to set up utilities, for one thing. That includes the phone or the internet. You’ll have to forward mail to your new place. Make sure that you have the keys to your new place well before you move in.
Go over this plan a few times. Make sure that you’re not missing anything. You don’t want to get to your new home and find that you don’t have electricity, for one. That would make things stressful. You can even create a checklist and cross things off as you do them.
Research the Local Schools
If you have children, you want to see what the local education situation is. You can send them to either a private or public school. According to CAPE, there are over 30,000 private schools in the United States. There are a lot of factors that can go into your decision, including your budget, and your expectations. Be sure to do some research and see what other parents are saying about the schools you’re looking at.
Other Things
There are other things you can do, like packing a bag that you’ll carry with you during the move. This bag will have essentials like medications, important documents, and chargers for things like phones, laptops, or tablets. This way, if things get lost in the move or if they are just deeply buried in boxes, then you can still have the important essentials in your new place.
These are just some basic tips. Moving into your first home is a momentous occasion, and by making the above preparations, you can make sure that you’re able to enjoy the comfort of your own home. Then you can settle in and spend the next several decades being a homeowner.
