You’ve waited months on end for the day when the keys are in your hand and you can move into your new home.  It’s tempting to just jump right into it, right?  Not so fast.  Take a moment go over these five important steps to complete before and after closing on your house.

Set up Utilities

Don’t assume that all the utilities will work the day you move in.  If you’ve hired a crew to remodel your house only to find out that your electricity doesn’t work, this could cause a lot of problems and delay your move-in date.  Make sure all your utilities are set up and ready to go before you start any projects.

Plan Remodeling & Repair Jobs in Advance

You already have ideas on what you want to change, fix and remodel about your new home, so don’t wait on it.  Before closing, you should already contact businesses that you want to work on your house.  They could include a professional painter, floor refinisher, electrician, or general contractor.  Start getting quotes from different companies, and ask your real estate agent for local recommendations.  Trust me, once you close you will want to move in as quickly as possible, and having the major work started immediately will alleviate a lot of stress.

Change the Locks

The first thing to do once receiving your keys is to call a locksmith and get all the locks in your home changed immediately.  Always assume that other people besides the seller have a set of keys to your new home.  The seller’s relatives and friends, not to mention the realtor, their assistant, etc. might all have duplicate copies.  You will want to get this done fast before you’ve officially moved in.  You can never put a price on peace of mind.

Clean, Clean, Clean

Even if the seller did clean before they left, chances are it wasn’t a very good job; especially if the house is a foreclosure and has been sitting vacant for a prolonged period of time.  If you aren’t doing any serious remodeling projects, you should hire a professional cleaning crew the minute after closing to get everything move-in ready.  Hiring a business will save you loads of frustration, headaches and hours upon hours of doing the work yourself.  Get it done right the first time and you’ll be happy you did!

Have a Little Black Book of Professionals

You have no idea how time consuming moving in will be until you’re in the midst of it.  Don’t waste your time aligning artwork, patching holes in the wall, or finding the perfect accent chair for your living room (unless you enjoy these projects!).  My advice:  have a list on hand of professionals that can deal with these tedious tasks.  Hiring an interior designer is well worth the money, as is a handyman or contractor.