Closing day has finally come and gone – you’re almost finished packing for your move, and let’s face it you are BUSY! But, it is important to slow down to take note of a few things that should be done before and soon after you move in.  Go down this list of must-do’s so you’ll be safe, secure and happy in your new home: 

• Change all of the entryway locks, keypad codes, and make plans to get a security system set up. 
• Have utilities turned on in your name, as well as television provider and internet.   
• Deep clean the new house, even if it looks clean.  This job can be hired out, or you can DIY if time permits.  Keep in mind costs involved with renting any necessary equipment, as well as cleaning product expenses. 

• Plug in/turn on all appliances, to make sure they’re in working order. 
• Walk through the house to check for minor things that didn’t warrant repair by the seller. Having your copy of the home inspection in hand will help you find the problem areas that may need to be addressed before they get too big and too costly. 
• If you want update the home’s color palette with a fresh coat of paint, or do any other small improvement jobs consider getting them done before move in day. This will allow for the painting and repairs to be finished easier and faster before settling in with added obstacles. 
• Typically sellers leave the window treatments, but in case they didn’t be sure to measure the windows. Allow for time and budgeting to purchase and install shades or blinds until curtains or shutters can be hung. 
• Let everyone know your new address:  relatives and friends, of course, but also medical offices, your employer, schools, and other important people that communicate by mail. 

• Create a homeowner folder to keep all of your important papers. Be sure to store it in a safe and easily accessible place. 
• Meet your neighbors!  Once you’ve moved in, introduce yourself and your family by hosting a front porch social, with light refreshments.  Slip invites in mailboxes and simply ask them to stop by to say hello.  

Once you get settled in, you’ll need to get into a homeowner frame of mind.  You will have things to keep an eye on and maintain on a regular basis. Bob Vila’s home checklist gives you an idea of what you’ll need to check regularly. 

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

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That’s right–classes for home buyers!  If you’re just starting out on your home-purchase process, you may get overwhelmed when you find out all that’s involved.  Sadly, it’s not as easy as finding a house, paying for it, then moving in.  It’s a great idea to learn all you can about the process as well as being a homeowner. 

• The Department of Housing and Urban Development has a list of free classes in every state, from credit counseling and home maintenance, to housing for seniors.  Click on your state and find all that’s available to you. 
• If you are purchasing your home through FHA, USDA or other agency, you may be required to take the courses. 
• Before deciding what workshop is best for you, make sure it is certified through HUD, and any credit courses are nonprofit and accredited by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling or the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies. 

• Don’t wait until you’ve found a house you want to purchase before signing up!  Find a course that will help you learn the ropes from house-hunting to closing so you’ll feel confident when you contact a RealtorⓇ to begin your search. 
• Credit counseling is best done about six months before you start looking at homes, so you can learn about improving your credit score, as well as creating a budget and sticking to it.  You want the highest credit score possible so you can receive pre-approval for a mortgage. 
• Don’t have enough saved for a 20% down payment?  A workshop will help you find a program that will assist you with finding low down payment programs, as well as if there are any grants available in your community. 
• HUD-approved counseling agencies usually offer one-on-one sessions so you can get a better understanding of your own personal financial situation, as well as answer any specific questions you may have. 
• Many workshops have more than one “instructor;” you will hear from lenders, appraisers, inspectors, and insurance agents that will discuss their roles in the home-buying process. 

When dreaming of buying your own home, don’t let all of the information overwhelm you and keep you from even trying! If you are pressed for time with work and family, online course may be for you!  All it takes is this first step, and you’ll find that a home-buyer course will show you won’t be alone on the road to home ownership.   

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

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The time has come to begin the steps of buying your first home and looking around the internet and other real estate-related media, you’re finding there’s a lot more to know than finding a house, getting a loan, and signing papers.  There are some key words that can be unfamiliar to a first-time home buyer, so familiarize yourself with these lesser-known terms so you’ll have fewer questions and stumbles along the way: 

• In order to be certain that the home is worth the amount of the loan, there will be a home appraisal performed by an unbiased inspector of the lender’s choosing. 
• At the final paper-signing, the buyer is required to pay closing costs, which normally include attorney fees, surveyors, inspections, and title insurance, among other things.  Be prepared to have 2-5 percent of the purchase price for closing costs. 
• If you’d like to pay less interest over the time of your loan, you can purchase discount or mortgage points.  To learn more about this option, check out these tips from the Nerd Wallet website. 

• Earnest money is money that will be paid to the seller to show good faith of the buyer towards the home purchase.  It will be applied to your down payment. 
• When you have funds in escrow, you will have given funds to a third party to hold until they have verified that inspections, disclosures or any disputes have been resolved.  Keeping it in escrow protects your deposit before you sign the final contract to buy your new home. 
• Pre-approval is very important and differs from being pre-qualified.  If you’re pre-approved for a loan amount, you have a realistic expectation of what you can buy. 
• If your down payment is less than twenty percent of the purchase price, you will pay private mortgage insurance typically until that amount reaches twenty percent of the loan or home value. 
• Your lender will require the purchase of title insurance, which protects real estate owners and lenders against any property loss or damage for whatever reason.  Learn more about what title insurance is and what it covers from the CFPB. 

There are other terms and abbreviations you may find in your search for a house in their descriptions and about real estate in general that you won’t be familiar with.  Here’s a longer, more comprehensive list from realtor.comⓇ.  The more you know before you get started, the smoother the home-buying process will be!

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

Get Orlando Daily News delivered to your inbox! Subscribe here!

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