You went through the home buying process. You found the home of your dreams and submitted an offer through your real estate agent. The offer was accepted and you have recently closed on the house. Now what? What comes after you leave the closing table and you have keys in hand? You could immediately move your things in, but you were careful and followed all of the suggested steps up to this point. What are the safest and most efficient ways to move into your new home?
Do a final walk through
This is a personal final walk through that serves a different purpose than your previous walk through. It is likely that your real estate agent requested you do a final walk through with them before closing on the loan. This is to ensure that the sellers have completed any necessary repairs and that the house is in the same shape that it was when you put in the offer. Once you signed on the house, you agreed that you are purchasing the house as it is.
The post closing walk through is entirely for your purpose. Anything problems that you see now are your responsibility. However, doing a walk through can help you evaluate anything that needs to be fixed or any area of the house that you want to update before moving items in. For example, this is a great time to evaluate any paint or hole repair needs. It is often easier to complete these repairs while the house is still empty.
Radon and air quality testing
You may or may not have had an inspection completed on the home. However, many new homeowners are surprised to learn that air quality testing, such as local radon testing is usually not included in home inspections. Radon gas testing can take many weeks, sometimes months for a complete analysis. There are also too many other air quality contaminants to test for during an initial inspection.
It can be beneficial to complete your own radon testing or to hire a radon testing company to complete the thorough assessment. About 1 in 15 U.S. homes is estimated to have radon levels at or above the EPA action level. While the odds are low that the radon testing company will find traces of radon in your home?s air, the dangers are high if it is present. A family whose home has radon levels of 4 pCi per l is exposed to approximately 35 times as much radiation as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission would allow if that family was standing next to the fence of a radioactive waste site.
Install any needed machines
Your preparation to moving in will include a series of tests, including the radon testing company services, water testing, and other air quality testing. Your tests may show the need for improvements of current systems or the installation of certain machines. You may need to have a water softener installed or hire a radon mitigation and abatement company to remove traces of radon in the air. Passive systems of mitigation have been shown to be capable of reducing indoor radon levels by more than 50%. When radon ventilation fans are added, radon levels can be reduced even further.
Hire a moving company
Once you have completed and installed any necessary upgrades to the house, you are ready to move your belongings in. You will find that the most efficient and cost effective way to move your items is with a professional moving company. They will ensure that your items are moved securely and that everything is boxed and unboxed into its correct location. Professional moving companies take a lot of the stress out of the moving process.
There are often forgotten moving steps that should occur between closing on the house and moving your items into the house. Before you move your belongings and family into your new home, do a final walk through, make any necessary repairs or upgrades, hire a radon testing company for air quality assessments, check things like water quality, and then hire a professional moving company.