In all the excitement of moving and trying to get settled in your new home in Oakland, the last thing you want is a honey-do list, right? Some things, however, shouldn’t be put off and need to be taken care of now.
So, push the boxes aside for a day or two and let’s get ‘er done!
1. Change the locks
Although this may seem like a no-brainer, changing the door locks on a new home is something many homebuyers neglect doing. Hey, when you consider all the little details that need attention, such as changing over the utilities, registering the kids in new schools, and ensuring everyone has your new address, something is bound to fall through the cracks.
Since you don’t know exactly how many people have keys to the home and who they are, put this one at the top of your to-do list.
Unless you’re opting for a smart lock, changing the locks on a door is a common DIY project and costs very little.
2. Locate your home’s main water shutoff valve
Scrambling to figure out how to shut off the water in your new home wastes precious time in an emergency. Scout out the location of your main water shutoff valve now, and share the location with other household members.
Unfortunately, there are a number of places that it could be located. In cold-climate areas you’ll typically find the water shutoff valve somewhere indoors, such as in the basement. In warmer weather regions, like the San Francisco Bay Area, it may be located outdoors or in the garage. If the home is on a slab foundation, check for the valve near the water heater.
3. Secure your home purchase paperwork
Before putting away all those documents you signed at closing, make copies of them and store them in a safe place, off-site. No, you may not need to refer to this paperwork, but then again, you may, so it’s a good idea to keep everything, just in cases.
While you’re in the paperwork groove, consider purchasing an accordion file (or better yet, a fire-proof document safe) and use it to hold all the paperwork you’ll accumulate as a homeowner. This includes receipts for repairs and improvements, insurance information, and warranties.
When something breaks down, tax season comes, or you decide to one day sell your home, you’ll be glad you have all of this important information in one place.
4. Open a new savings account
Yes, you paid a whole lot of money at the closing table, but that was just the beginning of what it costs to own a home. Routine maintenance and emergency repairs need to be factored in as well.
“No new homeowner, myself included, can ever feel fully prepared for the maintenance costs and renovation costs associated with homeownership,” says financial planner Pamela Capalad.
But a savings account, dedicated specifically to paying for home maintenance and repairs, can go a long way toward being prepared.
Most financial experts say to set aside 1 to 2 percent of the home’s value each year for both maintenance and repairs. For example, if your home is worth $500,000, you should dedicate from $5,000 to $10,000 a year.
Make it less painful by having a monthly amount (from about $400 to $1,000) automatically deducted from your pay and sent to the dedicated savings account.
Deferring routine maintenance may impact your home’s future value, so plan ahead and be proactive.
5. Replace your air filters
Changing an old HVAC filter just one time is enough to convince many of us to make changing them a routine. Sadly, that isn’t the case. Many homeowners neglect this inexpensive and easy home maintenance chore and end up breathing in that brown fuzz that clings to old filters.
Not only that, but they’re setting the entire system up for failure. “A system that has a dirty filter can suffer from pressure drop, which can lead to reduced air flow, or ‘blow-out,’ resulting in no air infiltration at all,” according to Nick Gromicko and Kate Tarasenko for the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI).
Change the filter in a busy household with kids and pets once a month, otherwise you may be able to wait three months before installing a new one. Learn how to change the filter here.
Recap
So there you have it. Whether you’re buying a home in Oakland or elsewhere in the Bay Area, it’s important that you put these things at the top of your list, as soon as you close of your new home:
1. Change the locks
2. Locate your home’s main water shutoff valve
3. Secure your home purchase paperwork
4. Open a new savings account5. Replace your air filters Once you’ve checked all those things off the list, grab a cold beer or glass of wine, and let the unpacking fun begin!
