What Buyers Should Do After Moving into a Home

Within the last week or so, I’ve been thinking about what buyers should do after moving into a home. It’s an assignment for The Balance. As my team members yesterday afternoon focused on our Elizabeth Weintraub Team Sunday open houses, I used that time to write an article for The Balance. Many of you might not know that I write for The Balance. That company had been About.com in 2006, which was owned by the New York Times, when I started working for that website on the side. Before that it was the Mining Company.

I know, you’re probably wondering how do I routinely sell $30 million a year and still find time to work a second job? Organization and passion is my response to that.

We were early pioneers. Since then, and especially from being a source others copied, meant that website has today morphed into many different things, with its 1,000 or so experts now split into vertical channels. All the SEO experts agree it better reflects what we are about. My position as the Home Buying Expert also entails other writing duties for the company. However, lately I’ve been toying with the idea of not writing for them anymore. I’m not compensated enough, not like I was initially. It’s a huge commitment to set aside huge chunks of my life to write. But then I love to write about real estate, and the topics they suggest are usually near and dear to my heart.

The latest article I wrote on Sunday is First Things to Do After Moving into a Home. You may enjoy it because I have unique perspectives, at least for a short time before somebody else plagiarizes my stuff. One of the things about that piece that really struck home for me was how people rarely change the locks after moving into a home. This is one of the first things after moving into a home that needs attention. I heard from a buyer’s agent last week whose buyers allegedly had personal items removed from the home. This resulted in a big problem after closing, presumably by a relative with a key.

You don’t know how many keys are out there. Petsitters. Housekeepers. Children’s friends. The neighbors, and let’s not forget the keys hidden in the yard just in case you get locked out.

It is very inexpensive to hire a locksmith. Just make an appointment with a locksmith the day prior to closing. The locksmith will meet you at the house. Your agent will remove the key from the lockbox and use that to enter the premises. Then, the locksmith, right there on the spot can change all the locks in the house to be used with one key. A different key. It takes about 20 minutes.

So while you’re walking through the house with your agent, marveling at all the space and discussing where you will place your furniture or the colors you will paint the walls, you could have brand new keys to secure the home in under half an hour. For about $100 or so. Prices will vary.

If you do nothing else when moving into a home, at least do this one important thing first and change the locks. Ask your Sacramento Realtor for a referral to a locksmith.