It was a long journey trying to get here. The real estate market in the Greater Toronto Area is a tough one, and finally getting onto the property ladder is a huge accomplishment. But once the celebration is done, there’s more work to do. Before you move in, there’s a long To Do list that you’ll have to tackle to make sure everything is ready on the day you make yourself at home.
#1 Find a Home Inspector
One of the first things you’ll need to do is make sure your home is thoroughly inspected. Often insurance companies will demand an inspection and even ask for significant repairs before they’re willing to insure a property, especially if it’s an older home with outdated systems like wiring and plumbing.
Hire a home inspector that you trust and who will make sure you can get all the work done that you will need to satisfy potential insurers.
#2 Save Money with Used Furniture
If you’re a first-time homeowner or moving in from a condo, you’re probably looking forward to having a lot more space. It’s one of the best things about owning your own home, and you have the opportunity now to get creative and do all the things you never could as a renter or in a condo.
But if you’re like a lot of first-time homeowners, money is probably tight at the moment. To help make your big ambitions match a more modest budget, try looking for used furniture in Toronto to complete your home interior.
Buying furniture used can help you save hundreds of dollars compared to buying from the store. You should be able to find everything from almost new brand-name pieces to vintage and eclectic furniture that will fit your sense of style and needs.
#3 Find the Nuts and Bolts
Familiarize yourself with the “working parts” of your home so that you know exactly where they are should something go wrong. That means locating the circuit breaker, shut-off valves for water, all the parts of your HVAC system, each and every smoke detector, the carbon monoxide detector, and any other important features.
#4 Deep Clean
Before moving in, you’ll want to make sure the house has been deep-cleaned from top to bottom. Knowing that you’ve scrubbed the place thoroughly will give you peace of mind and a sense of a fresh start. The last thing you want is to discover someone else’s mess in a forgotten corner months after moving in. Get into those hard-to-reach crevices in the bathrooms and kitchen to make sure you get absolutely everything.
#5 Change the Locks
There’s no way of making sure that the previous homeowners handed over all of their house keys. They may have even given copies to friends, family, house or pet sitters, and contractors that they completely forgot about.
For your own safety and peace of mind, it doesn’t hurt to change the locks once you take possession of the home, preferably before you move in. It’s a simple task that you can probably even do on your own, and worth the sense of security it will provide.
This checklist should help you get everything ready for the day you move in. Homeownership doesn’t have to be overwhelming or break the bank. Get your home inspected, save money by buying used furniture online, make sure you know where everything is, deep clean your home, and make sure only you have the keys to your new home.
