Home › Guides › New homeowner first-year checklist: what to do after you move in
GuideCongratulations — you bought a house. Now what? The first year of homeownership is when good habits (or expensive mistakes) get set. This checklist covers what to do immediately for safety and security, the maintenance to establish, and how to get to know and protect your biggest investment from day one.
Before anything else, rekey or change all exterior locks — you have no idea how many copies of the old keys exist. Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries, locate your main water shut-off and electrical panel, and find the breaker and gas shut-off. These are the five-minute tasks that matter most if something goes wrong early.
Find and label the water shut-off, breaker panel, furnace, water heater and any sump pump. Note the age and model of major systems (furnace, AC, water heater, roof) so you can anticipate replacements. Locate filters that need changing and shut-offs for individual fixtures. Knowing your home prevents small issues from becoming emergencies.
Start the seasonal maintenance habit immediately: furnace tune-up in fall, AC in spring, gutters twice a year, and regular cleaning. Change HVAC filters on schedule. Establishing the rhythm in year one — ideally with reminders and recurring bookings — is what keeps your home out of the expensive, reactive cycle.
Home inspections flag issues; previous owners defer things. Tackle the safety and water-related items first (electrical concerns, roof and gutter issues, plumbing leaks, grading that sends water toward the foundation), since those cause the most expensive damage if ignored. A punch-list of handyman jobs can clear many small items in a visit or two.
Begin keeping a record of everything: service dates, who did the work, costs, warranties and documents. A property passport pays off immediately — no lost receipts, no duplicate work, valid warranties, and a documented history that helps at resale. Starting it in year one means you never have to reconstruct it later.
You'll need them — a good cleaner, handyman, plumber, electrician and HVAC pro. Finding vetted, reliable pros before an emergency means you're not scrambling when the furnace dies. On Genie you can book vetted, insured pros across every trade, keep your service history in one place, and get reminded before seasonal maintenance is due.
Rekey or change all exterior locks, test smoke and CO detectors, and locate your main water shut-off, electrical panel and gas shut-off. These are the fastest, most important safety and security tasks.
A seasonal rhythm: furnace tune-up in fall, AC in spring, gutters twice a year, regular cleaning, and on-schedule filter changes. Establishing it in year one keeps you out of the expensive reactive cycle.
Yes, on day one — you can't know how many copies of the old keys exist among previous owners, their cleaners and contractors. It's cheap, fast, essential security.