8 Things to Know When Moving to a Second-Hand Home

8 Things to Know When Moving to a Second-Hand Home

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Moving is a strenuous task that comes up with an endless number of works and research prior to your selection of the place where you are planning to move. We are all aware of the fact that moving is a hassle and the last thing that you would want to do is to add more tasks.

With the increased wants and wishes, it becomes difficult to swim smoothly through the tides. Moving into a new house is another thing, but starting off into the second-hand home requires a great deal of research and visual sharpness, to ponder and come to this conclusion of selecting the most appropriate accommodation to move while selecting from the previously owned houses. Sometimes you have to make a lot of compromises in life, and making a choice on the condition of the house, location, and post-move setup are all dependent on the financial condition that you may be striving. Whatever the reason may be, it is important to look at your financial condition and then decide the type of home that you ought to have. Second-hand home is nothing to worry about, in fact, you need to think over the tremendous ways that you can make it into the most liveable place that you have ever been. Here are the eight things that you ought to know when you are moving into the second-hand home:

1.    Change the locks:  

The most important thing to be done before moving into the second ownership home is to change all the locks including the garage, to keep your family and the property safe. You don’t want someone else barging into your property with the key to your front door, so it is recommended to have completely fresh locks before you move in. This will give you peaceful nights when you lay in your bed. It will also help to safeguard your belongings during the course of your moving from being exposed within that brief window, therefore it is essential to get the locks changed at the very first place.

2.  Check for any leakages:   

Moving into the previously occupied property requires a thorough inspection of your house for any leakage. Ideally, the house should be ready and previously ensured that the house is leak-free. However, you have to be sure about any of the flaws that might be faced in the future. This will give you peace of mind and crosscheck the stress-oriented matters.  You have to check your water metre as well, before moving in that house. This can be done by taking the reading once and then after two hours to make sure that the reading from the water metre is exactly the same and there is no water leakage. If in case the reading is different this will signify a plumbing leakage. Preoccupied places have greater importance of getting such checks done, due to the obvious reasons. This check should be done before moving since it will be difficult to spare two hours without any water usage once you move in with your family during the normal daily routine. You must also check the water heater for any dripping pipes, faucets, and running flushes.

3.   Clean the cabinets and closets:

Moving into the used and previously owned place comes with the package of a bundle of home renovation. Although there is a long list of chores that needs to be done prior to your shifting, a fumigation session and cleaning of the closets and cabinets is vital for an old home. This has to be done before you move and unload your crockery and clothes. Be wise to give a thorough wipe down to all the cabinets before loading your utensils and clothing line. It is needless to point out that the task becomes ten times easier if you perform it on empty cupboards. Do not hesitate to invest in the pest control, in order to get rid of the unwanted occupants like rats, lizards, termites, cockroaches, and bats.

4.  Change toilet accessories:

Moving into a second-hand home means that you will have the used toilet fittings and somehow the toilet seats make one perplexed to use the same that were being used by the previous occupants. It is recommended for the hygiene and a mental satisfaction purpose to swap the toilet seats (if not all the accessories) with the new ones. It will give you an image of your ownership and will make you worry-free of thinking about what happened in it before you got the keys. As a matter of fact, the attached toilet seats do not clean from the areas near the hinges. Hence, changing the seat will also give you a satisfaction of getting every nook and corner sparkling after you move in.

5.  Update your address:

This step is very simple yet a very important one to do. Get your address updated into the records of all important places and as well as the USPS. Just a small effort and some of your time are required to ensure all the mail are directed towards your new address. This would include your banks, credit cards, or any subscription accounts, your children’s schools, your work etc. Including the movers who are helping in your shifting.

6.  Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors:  

Your family and pets’ safety in the newly owned house is of utmost importance. Hence, you should make the best possible safety checks prior to your occupancy. The next most important check for moving into a second ownership place is to check for the proper working of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. It might require you to change its batteries or replacing the entire unit completely, making sure that they are placed in all the important places of your house including the hallway. Fires usually start from the kitchen and the electrical circuit rooms. Make sure that if you are moving into a home that has multiple floors, you have a smoke detector at every level. This does not mean that this check should not be followed on a regular basis. Old homes require regular checking and changing of the batteries after every set interval. You can add it into your year planner in order to set a reminder.  If you require assistance from professionals do not hesitate to contact your fire department for free testing if they may offer.

7.   Revamp your walls and ceilings:   

One of the easiest ways of owning the place as yours is to refresh the interior by revamping the walls and ceiling with a new colour of the paint. Being the second owner of a place does not mean that you have no choice of your own. Rejoice and remember that still, no one can dictate your colour palette; it’s all your choice. However, it is better to have the job done or get it done (if you intend to hire professionals), before moving in, to prevent the dents on the wall by moving the furniture again.

8.  Review the shutoff valves and circuit breaker:   

In order to move and live in peace, you ought to tackle a major maintenance task. This includes another important check for the breaker box and shut off walls. Each room has a separate circuit breaker and hunting for that specific breaker with a flashlight would not be fun. It is recommended to mark each breaker with the room number to have the smooth operation of the breaker box. It is important to locate your water and gas shut off valves in advance as well. It’s better to find them now than to be sorry and frantically looking for them when the water is gushing down the force with a leaking pipe.

The Fun kicks off:

With this long list of precautions and maintenance works, you are ready to handle smooth living. So just plan ahead, carry all the necessary and unnecessary works with full vigilance, and you are ready to kick off the fun and happiness in your life!