When you are buying a home, it can be stressful and overwhelming signing the paperwork for your loan, reviewing all documents, etc.  So, after you close escrow and are all moved in, you can relax right?  Yes!  But, don’t forget these elusive steps to being completely immersed in the bliss of home ownership…..

1. MOVE YOUR RECORDS You will need to move any important records as soon as possible. Fill out a change of address card with the post office, but also be sure to move doctor, dental, and school records along to your new area.
2. START A HOME MAINTENANCE CALENDAR
   If you have rented a house up ’till this point, you may be unaware of just how much goes into maintaining a house. If you make a home maintenance calendar, you will have a much clearer idea of when each task needs to be carried out, and be able to keep on top of everything with more ease.
3. CHANGE THE LOCKS! You don’t know how many people have keys to your new home, so to be safe, it’s worth changing the locks on the very first day that you live there. Call a locksmith to change not just your front door, but any external door, as well as any sheds or garages.
4. TAKE PICTURES You will want to go and take pictures of your home before you move in. Not only will it help—should you need to make an insurance claim in the future, or for planning your home’s layout—but it will also be nice to have those pictures in the future, to remember what your first house looked like. The first pictures could also become important references should you choose to sell your house in the future.  Buying your first home is an exciting, important, and sometimes stressful experience. But, if you can get all your ducks in a row, it could also be one of the best decisions of your life. Follow these steps, get organized, and get to work!
5. REGISTER YOUR VEHICLE Moving into a new home in a new state means that you’re going to have to register your motor vehicle in the new state and then transfer your driver’s license. In order to cross this task as completed, visit your local DMV office in person and take care of this formality before the deadline is reached (some states give a window of 10 days to register your car while others give as many as 30 days).  You can also go to your local Automobile Club office to bypass the long lines and huge wait times at the DMV.
6. GREET YOUR NEIGHBORS Being on good terms with your neighbors right off the bat is like the icing on the cake when settling into a new neighborhood. If you need anything, they can help, and you’ll both set the stage to look out for each other’s property and well-being.
7. INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO YOUR MAIN CIRCUIT BREAKER BOX AND YOUR MAIN WATER VALVE. In the event of an emergency, you will want to know the exact location of these and be able to act quickly or in case you’re about to fix a power or water issue and need to turn off the electricity or cut off the water supply.