Posts from June 2018
RSS Feed
22
New Homeowner Worksheet
Security & Safety
These are the very first things you should do after buying a house (for obvious reasons):
1. Change locks. Spares could be floating around anywhere.
2. Hide an extra key in a lockbox. Thieves look under flower pots.
3. Reset the key codes for garage doors, gates, etc. The former owners might've trusted half the neighborhood.
4. Test fire and carbon monoxide detectors. Who knows when the last time was. Definitely install them if there are none.
5. Check the temperature on your water heater, especially if you have young ones, so it won't accidentally scald. Manufacturers tend to set them high. (but the best temperature setting for hot water is 120 degrees).
6. Make sure motion lights and other security lights have working bulbs.
7. Put a fire extinguisher...
8
Why It's So Important to Get a Home Inspection
The home-buying process is long and arduous. You often spend months searching for the right home before you make an offer and once an offer is made and accepted, you must jump through several more hoops before the sale closes. An important part of the process is the home inspection where a professional makes sure everything in the house is functioning properly and identifies needed repairs.
The buyer pays the cost of a home inspection but can always wave the right to an inspection. That's not a good idea. You should make a home inspection a mandatory part of the home-buying process. You need unbiased documentation of the home's condition. This goes for both the purchase of a pre-owned home as well as new construction.
Privacy Policy / DMCA Notice / ADA Accessibility
Corporate Office - 215 S Centerville Rd. Lancaster, PA 17603James J Hafer - West Virginia Broker of Record
©2026 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of Columbia Insurance Company, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Licensed in Pennsylvania
Dennis Brandt
102 East Main St, Mt. Joy, PA 17552
717-653-2646