I bought my first home, what next?
Here are some things to consider when you land the key to your brand-new home
Here are some things to consider when you land the key to your brand-new home
You have done what you once thought impossible. You have bought your house! And now as the moving truck drives away, you’re left to your own devices and your own bare walls. So, what next?
“Invite all your favourite people to your house and celebrate!” says Caroline Flannery, Interior Designer and Creative Director of Interiors by Caroline (www.interiordesignerdublin.ie).
“Moving into a new home can be exhausting and stressful, not to mention expensive. Decisions can be made which may be regretted later. So, relax after you have just moved in!”
When you move into a new house, it can be difficult to know what to do first. For people coming from having a landlord for years, or even those coming from their parents’ houses, suddenly they are thrown into a situation where everything in the house is their responsibility alone.
If the washing machine breaks down, you can’t call your landlord to come fix it. If your heating stops in the middle of the night, you have to call the repairman in the freezing morning and wait for him to show up all day. This is your home now, so here are the five biggest things you should do when you get there:
1. CHANGE THE LOCKS
It is a brand-new start and you need to make sure your property is safe. During the sale of any house, the key can pass through many people’s hands. The previous owners could have cut their keys to give to their friends and neighbours. You don’t know how many people actually have the current key to your house, so the best advice is to change the locks immediately.
2. UPDATE YOUR ADDRESS
This is now your permanent address, so better make it official. It’s time to change the address on your different online accounts, your subscriptions, your bank and so on. You can pay a fee to An Post to ensure that all your post is forwarded to your new address. Up to three months the fee is €50; Up to six months €70; and up to 12 months €100. To avoid this amount, change your important contacts as soon as you can.
3. THE BIG SWITCH
Don’t get lumped with a bill that isn’t yours. If you are moving into a home which was previously occupied, ask the previous owners to transfer the utility accounts into your name. It’s a good idea to take meter readings for gas and electricity the second you are in your home, so you know what is your bill and what is not.
4. SAFETY FIRST
Go around the house and check the smoke detectors and change the batteries. If there are no detectors, buy them at any home improvement shop. Also, check if your new home has a carbon monoxide detector, if not, buy one for the house. These checks should be on the very first day so you can sleep peacefully at night.
5. SHUT IT OFF
Take the time to locate your circuit breaker. If your electricity cuts out one night, you will need to know where you can turn it back on. The same goes for water and gas. Better to be safe than sorry.