After Selling Your Home

Leave Your Home Ready for Its New Owner

Before you pull out of the driveway for the last time, give the home one final look. Remove anything that wasn't included in the sale, take out the trash, and leave the home reasonably clean and ready for the new owner.

Don't forget the easy-to-miss places like the attic, crawl space, garage, shed, cabinets, and refrigerator. It's amazing what can survive an entire move hiding on the top shelf of a closet.

Leave the Keys, Remotes & Home Information

Gather up the house keys, mailbox keys, gate or garage remotes, alarm information, and anything else the new owner will need. If you have appliance manuals, warranties, service information, or instructions for something that's a little quirky around the house, leave those behind too.

You know which switch only works if the other switch is on. The new owner doesn't.

Wrap Up Utilities & Equipment

Once closing is complete, finish transferring or closing out your utilities and other home services.

Some equipment may belong to a service provider rather than to you. Check whether trash or recycling containers need to be returned or transferred, and don't accidentally pack up cable boxes, internet equipment, or other rented equipment.

Watch for the Property Tax Bill

Selling your home doesn't always mean you'll stop receiving mail related to it immediately. If a property tax bill arrives after you've sold the home, don't throw it away.

Forward it to the new owner or contact me or the closing attorney so we can help get it where it belongs. The new owner may not know it was issued until late fees begin piling up.

Update Your Address

Make sure your mail knows you've moved too. Submit your change of address with USPS and update your address with banks, credit cards, insurance companies, driver's license and vehicle registration, subscriptions, doctors, and anyone else who still needs to find you.

Enjoy Your New Digs

Selling a home can be a lot. There are appointments, showings, negotiations, inspections, packing, paperwork, moving boxes - and probably at least one moment when you wonder why you own so much stuff.

But you made it.

Whether you're moving across town, across the country, downsizing, upsizing, or starting something completely different, I hope you take a little time to settle in and enjoy what's next.

Stay in Touch

Just because the closing is over doesn't mean you can't call me.

If a question comes up after the sale, you need a real estate resource, or you're simply wondering what's happening back in the old neighborhood, I'm still here. And, of course, I'd love to hear how you're doing in your new home.

Safe travels - and enjoy the view through the windshield.