Rosemont PA Pennsylvania Homes Houses Listings Properties For Sale Realtors Real Estate Agents Relocation

Janis Peterson, GRI, ABR, CSP Realtor®
Philadelphia Main Line Homes and Real Estate
Montgomery, Delaware, and Chester Counties
Relocation Specialist

Telephone:	(610) 642-3744
Fax:	(610) 658-0267
E-mail:	jp4re@pahomes.com
Home page:	www.pahomes.com

Personalized Service...Exceptional Results!

Real Estate Information Relocation Questionnaire
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Subject: You've Got The Keys, Now It's
Time To Settle In, Improve, And Maintain

You might not realize it, but qualifying for a home loan, making an offer, and signing documents at the closing are only part of the home ownership process. Once you receive the keys to your new home, there are still steps you need to take before truly calling your house home.

Settling In
The most obvious step you'll take next is packing and moving your household contents. If you plan on hiring a professional, check with your real estate representative to see if he or she knows a reliable mover.

Once you've moved in, one of the first things you want to do is change the lock on all entry doors. This ensures that only your household has access to your home.

You'll also want to make arrangements for special services such as paper delivery, cable and high-speed Internet service, and garbage and/or recycling pickup.

Get to know your neighborhood. Introduce yourself to your neighbors. They can give you inside information such as babysitters, names of contractors and more.

Take a tour of your new neighborhood. Locate the nearest fire and police stations, as well as hospital. This will also give you an opportunity to find the closest grocery store, gas station, parks, etc.

Organizing
Next up is making sure that all of your documents are in order and that others know where you are.

At your closing, you more than likely were given a copy of your settlement papers. Make sure that you file them away somewhere that is easily accessible for tax time. Or, keep them with your other tax records.

Next, don't forget to finish sending out your change of address to family, friends, magazines, and organizations that may not have been a part of your primary group. Notify the Internal Revenue Service of your change of address. You can download Form 8822 from the website www.irs.gov or call (800) TAX-FORM (829-3676) to order the form by phone.

With a change in your address, there are other documents that need to be changed as well such as auto registration, driver's license, and voter registration. Check with your state organizations to see what the procedure is.

Also, don't forget to notify your insurance agent of your change of address so that your policies remain up-to-date.

Improve and Maintain
After you've unpacked your boxes, it's time to get to know your home. Locate your smoke detectors, furnace and switch or fuse box. Go room to room and make an improvement checklist such as new carpeting, window dressing or painting. Note regular maintenance that will be required such as cleaning water drains and replacing air filters and batteries in smoke detectors.

After you've completed an inventory, you may decide that you want to hire contractors to help with decorating needs. You may even decide that you want to hire a home cleaning or lawn care service. Your real estate professional is a good source for getting reliable recommendations.

There is much to do when you move into a new home. However once you've unpacked the last box, painted the final room, and all your services are running smoothly, you can sit back in your favorite lounging chair and enjoy the benefits of homeownership.

"Real Service in Real Estate." For a personal consultation on buying or selling real estate, Janis Peterson, GRI, ABR, CSP Realtor® can be reached at (610) 642-3744, e-mail: jp4re@pahomes.com. Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors® is an independently owned and operated member of The Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc.

Real Estate Information Relocation Questionnaire
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