I remember when my roommate announced that she had received the keys to our new condominium from the developer. Needless to say, I was excited! Of course, my excitement was largely due to the fact that I finally got to decorate an entire master bedroom just for me. But I was also partly excited about moving into a new home, as I’m sure any homeowner would be.
But the period between receiving the keys and actually moving in turned out to be a long and tedious one, with plenty of lessons learned. So, here are some tips to know before moving into your new home:
- The very first thing you should do once you receive the keys to your new home from the developer is inspect your new house for any defects. Whether its rusty doorknobs, windows that don’t close properly, or missing toilet seats look for anything and everything. If you find any defects, record them and inform the developer immediately. The developer should have all defects rectified for you.
- Make sure you pay all the deposits required for all the utilities to your new home, such as telephone, water and electricity before you move in. Processing the paperwork for these utilities will likely take a while, so you want to pay up in a timely fashion to ensure that by the time you move into your new home, it is already equipped with all the utilities you will need.
- If you’ve purchased a high-rise property, you will need to pay for the maintenance too, even before moving into your new home. Maintenance charges apply immediately upon your receipt of your house keys. If you own a vehicle, you should obtain the stickers for your vehicle that denote that you are a resident in the building. Some developments also utilize security cards for entering the building. Check if your building uses them. If it does, make sure you are provided the cards.
- These days, just about everyone renovates their new home before moving in. if you are planning to do the same, make sure you plan out your renovation. Do you have enough electricity sockets to accommodate your home theatre system? Are you happy with the ogre green color that your developer painted on the walls? No? Then make sure you plan for these changes.
- Some homeowners have alarm systems installed immediately upon receiving their keys. Others have their systems installed during the renovation period. In general, it’s a good idea to have your alarm system and locks installed before you decided to put anything of value into your new home.
After all that, you should be ready to give your new home a good scrub down and move right on in!
Any other tips that you know of and would like to share? Tell us in the comment section!
