Congratulations on Your New Home!
The closing is done — now what? We put together this guide with some of the most helpful tips and things to be prepared for in the weeks and months after closing. We hope this makes your transition into homeownership as smooth as possible!
File for Homestead Exemption
One of the first things you should do after closing is file for Homestead Exemption with your county. This can reduce your property's taxable value by up to $50,000 and caps future assessed value increases at 3% per year.
- You can file once your deed is recorded — typically about 4 weeks after closing.
- You must update your driver's license to your new address before filing.
- The filing deadline is March 1st of the tax year.
Your First Mortgage Payment
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You Typically Skip a Month — After closing, you usually skip one full month before your first payment is due. For example, if you closed in August, your first payment is typically due October 1st.
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Welcome Letter — You will receive a welcome letter in the mail from your mortgage servicer with information on how to make payments and set up auto-pay.
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Temporary Payment Stubs — Your closing package includes temporary payment stubs for your first few payments. Use these if you don't receive your first statement before the due date — don't be alarmed, this is normal!
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Loan Transfers — It is common for mortgage loans to be sold or transferred to a new servicer after closing. If this happens, you will receive a "Goodbye" letter from the old servicer and a "Welcome" letter from the new one. Your payment amount will not change.
Be Prepared for Junk Mail
Heads Up! When someone buys a home, it gets recorded in the county's public records. Spammers monitor these records and will send out a flood of junk mail trying to get you to buy additional services that are not needed.
- Some spammers will even make it look like the mail is coming from your new mortgage company. Your actual mortgage company will send a welcome letter containing their company logo and address. They will NOT try to sell you anything unsolicited.
- The junk mail typically stops within a few weeks after your closing. Hang tight!
- If you ever receive something that looks suspicious or asks for a payment or fee related to your home, call us before taking any action.
Save Your Important Documents
Start a digital or physical folder to save all the important documents from your homebuying process, along with contact info for all the companies and services you used. You'll likely need these during tax season, and when you eventually sell or refinance.
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Final Signed Closing Disclosure — Keep this for your tax records and future reference.
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Home Inspection & Survey Reports — You may need these if you have future work done on the home.
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Owner's Title Insurance Policy — The title company is required to send this to you after closing. Keep it! Providing a copy later can save you money on title insurance if you refinance or sell your home.
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Recorded Warranty Deed — You will need this when filing your Homestead Exemption. If you don't receive it within a few weeks, contact your title company.
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Contact Info for Your Team — Save contact info for your realtor, mortgage company, title company, home inspector, and insurance agent. You may need them again!
Cloud Storage Tip: Consider saving all your documents to a cloud storage service like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive so you can access them from anywhere and never lose them.
Quick Home Maintenance Tips
Here are some of the most important things to take care of as soon as you move in:
Locate the Main Water Shutoff
This is critical! In the event of a burst pipe, knowing where the water shutoff is can save your home from major flooding. Find it immediately after moving in.
Change All the Locks
You never know who may have a copy of the keys from previous owners. Hire a locksmith to rekey all exterior doors — it's quicker and more affordable than replacing the locks entirely.
Change the Air Filters
Even if the filters look okay, start a fresh maintenance schedule. Mark the installation date directly on the filter so you know when to replace it next.
Hire a Pest Company
Florida is full of pests! Have a company inspect for termites and other wood-destroying organisms — especially important for wood-frame homes — and start a regular treatment schedule.
Contact Your Auto Insurance
Many auto insurance companies factor in the distance you travel from home to work. Your premiums may change based on your new address — contact your provider to update your policy.
Meet Your Neighbors
A good first impression goes a long way! Introduce yourself early — neighbors can be a great resource, keep an eye on your home while you're away, and make daily life more enjoyable.
Moving & Address Change Checklist
A new home usually means a new mailing address — which means updating all your accounts and services. It's very easy to overlook some of these. We created a comprehensive list of institutions, companies, and services you'll want to update your address with.
Additional Homeowner Tools & Resources
We also added links below for other ideas and projects you may be interested in as a new homeowner:
Also check out our blog for new homeowner tips and tools:
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