What To Do Before and After Moving to a New Home in MA

Are You Moving to a New Home in Massachusetts?

Moving to a new home can be an exciting and stressful time. Whether you are downsizing, moving closer to family, or looking for a new adventure in Massachusetts, there is a lot to do when it comes to an address change. Along with packing and unpacking, there are numerous other tasks that need to be  completed to ensure a smooth transition into your home. For example, budgeting for a new mortgage payment and shopping for a moving company, are all things to keep on your radar as you transition into your new Massachusetts home.

Before Moving to Your New Home

Before you start looking into home listings on the web or talking with a local real estate agent, you need to know what you can afford. Receiving pre-approval will give you a budget, this way you won’t be wasting time looking at homes outside of your price range. There are various factors that can factor into the amount you are pre-approved for, but typically these factors include your credit score, income, and assets. Going through the pre-approval process can take some time but is one of the first and most important steps in the moving process.

Budget for Monthly Expenses

Budgeting for monthly expenses can be tedious, but typically doing so can help you avoid surprises in the future. In addition to a monthly mortgage payment, you will need to calculate for taxes, insurance, and utility payments. It’s important to keep in mind any appliances and furniture you will need to have before moving to your new home in order to budget for items that could require costly investment as well. Regardless of your monthly expenses it is a good idea to have an emergency fund for unexpected costs, setting aside funds for expenses such as plumbing, electrical, or structural issues.

Connect with a Local Massachusetts Insurance Agent

Generally, you will need to provide proof at the closing of your home that you have paid the first year of premiums on your homeowners insurance. Connecting with a local insurance agent early on is a smart move in gathering and compiling this proof. At Cross Insurance we are an independent insurance broker, able to work with trusted insurance companies, giving you coverage options for home insurance. With a local office in Newburyport, a local insurance agent is only a call away.

Make a Plan for Moving to Your New Home

If you plan on hiring a company to handle the bulk of the work that is required when moving, acquiring recommendations from friends, family, and neighbors on trusted companies can make the process even easier. As well, reaching out early to get quotes can help your planning and your wallet. On the other hand, if you plan on moving to your new home yourself, prepare by collecting boxes, totes, and packing materials early on so you are not without the necessary materials when the time comes. Planning in advance for large pieces of furniture, including measuring doorways in your new home to see if it can be maneuvered to the place you are planning to place it, can help you decide if the furniture will make the journey with you.

Deep Clean Your New Massachusetts Home

Unboxing the cleaning supplies may not be your first thought when arriving at your new home, but pulling out a mop bucket and vacuum can start off your new adventure the cleanest way. First, cleaning will be much easier before bigger, hard to move furniture is placed in multiple rooms. Second, if painting is on the to do list, then you’ll need a clean, dry surface to start with. Third, deep cleaning will give you a closer look at your entire house, and you may find some areas that need to be repaired.

Update Your Locks

It’s a good security practice to replace and update your locks after moving into a new home. This is recommended as you never know how many copies the previous owners had, or who they might have given copies to. While on the topic of locks and keys, it is useful to make a plan for what you would do if you were locked out of your new home.

Update Your Address

Once you are settled into your new Massachusetts home it is important to notify your local post office, utility companies, and tax agencies of your new address. Also, informing your employer, in case they need to send documents and other forms to the correct place, is an important reason to notify them of your new address. Be sure to log in to your various online shopping accounts to update your addresses to avoid lost packages.

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This article is for general informational purposes only and is not to be relied upon or used for any particular purpose. Cross Insurance shall not be held responsible in any way for, and specifically disclaims any liability arising out of or in any way connected to, reliance on or use of any of the information contained in this article. The information contained or referenced in this article is not intended to constitute and should not be considered legal, insurance, accounting or other professional advice, nor shall it serve as a substitute for the recipient obtaining such advice. The views expressed in this article are that of its author and do not necessarily represent the views of Cross Financial Corp. and its subsidiaries and affiliates (“Cross Insurance”) or Cross Insurance’s management or shareholders.