What to Do After Buying a House

After closing, secure access, confirm utilities and insurance, test alarms, and review urgent inspection findings. During the first month, organize records and establish a maintenance baseline, including well and septic checks if applicable. Use the next 60–90 days to obtain estimates, set a repair budget and choose your next home-specific action.

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Understand my inspection report

Reviewed 2026-09-25

What needs action, and what needs an answer?

Illustrative situations, not an assessment of your home.

The report identifies a safety concern

Bring it forward now

Contact the appropriate qualified professional promptly; use emergency services for immediate danger.

Keep in your record: The finding, who assessed it and the agreed next step.

A service date is missing

Confirm before scheduling by age alone

Request the previous service report or ask a qualified provider what evaluation is needed.

Keep in your record: Known date or “unknown,” plus the source of the information.

A system is older but no failure is confirmed

Plan with uncertainty

Review condition and service guidance; get estimates when a replacement decision becomes relevant.

Keep in your record: Condition notes, assumptions and a date to review them.

Day 1 — Access and safety

Take control of exterior locks and keys
Review who has access. Arrange re-keying or replacement as appropriate for your locks and household.
Reset garage access codes and review remotes
Use the manufacturer’s instructions and confirm that everyone in your household can enter safely.
Update Wi-Fi and connected-home access
Transfer supported devices to your accounts and remove access left with the previous owner.
Locate utility shut-offs and save emergency contacts
Record locations without opening electrical covers or operating unfamiliar equipment. Ask the utility or a qualified professional for guidance.
Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
Check placement and manufacturer instructions. USFA recommends monthly smoke-alarm tests and replacement 10 years from manufacture; follow the CO alarm’s own replacement instructions.

First 7 days — Know your systems

Check appliance operation and collect manuals
Record defects and contact the appropriate seller, service provider or warranty administrator. Check your actual coverage and claim deadlines.
Check HVAC filters and record the correct size
Follow the equipment instructions for filter type and replacement. Note the date so you can maintain a useful service record.
Record the water heater model, age and service history
Check the manufacturer’s maintenance instructions. Ask a qualified professional what service is appropriate, especially when the history is unknown.
Photograph visible roof, gutter and drainage concerns from the ground
Bring unresolved concerns from the inspection to an appropriate professional. Do not climb onto the roof to complete this checklist.
If you have a private well, review the latest water test
Save the report and ask your local health department about testing needs and a certified laboratory. If this does not apply to your home, mark it reviewed.
If you have septic, obtain the system and service records
Identify the system type, last inspection and pumping dates. Ask a septic professional about missing history and the next appropriate service; do not assume missing paperwork means pumping is due.

First 30 days — Keep the records

Confirm where to obtain your recorded deed
Ask the closing professional about recording status and how you will receive or retrieve your copy.
Update your address with the accounts and agencies you use
Arrange mail forwarding and update important contacts directly. Check local deadlines for identification and registration.
Confirm insurance coverage, utilities and payment dates
Do this at handover if it is not already confirmed. Keep policy contacts, deductibles and utility account details accessible.
Check local eligibility and deadlines for property-tax exemptions
Use your local assessor’s official guidance. Availability, savings and filing rules vary; do not assume an exemption transfers automatically.
Save closing, insurance, inspection and warranty documents
Keep secure copies and the original documents you receive. Record who to contact when you need a correction or a missing document.
Create your home plan and mark missing details as unknown
Start with the home and records you actually have. Choose one useful next action instead of guessing system ages or replacement dates.

Days 31–60 — Plan the spending

Review mortgage, escrow, tax and insurance payment arrangements
Confirm who pays each bill and when. Ask your servicer about unexplained differences or missing information.
Set a repair reserve that fits your household budget
Use known work, local estimates and your available cash. Separate expected maintenance from emergency savings and optional upgrades.
Build a replacement planning list from condition and service records
Record assumptions and uncertainty. System age can inform planning, but it does not establish an exact failure year.
Review insurance questions with your agent
Compare coverage, exclusions and deductibles alongside premiums. Ask which discounts actually apply to this home.

Days 61–90 — Establish the routine

Arrange appropriate HVAC service
Use the equipment guidance, season and actual condition to choose the timing. Bring forward work identified as urgent.
Separate small repairs from optional projects
Keep each task’s reason, owner and next step visible. Reassess cosmetic projects after you have lived in the home.
Review tree and landscape concerns with an appropriate professional
Use condition and proximity to the home to decide what needs evaluation. Obtain a written scope before commissioning work.
Build a home manual from models, receipts and service contacts
Keep confirmed dates and documents together. Return to the record after a service visit, repair or new inspection finding.
Review home-related tax questions with a qualified adviser
Save relevant records and ask which rules apply to your circumstances. Buying a home does not automatically make itemizing beneficial.

Does your home have a private well or septic system?

Private well: establish what the test actually says

EPA advises annual testing for coliform bacteria, nitrates, dissolved solids and pH. Ask the local health department about additional contaminants and use a certified laboratory. Flooding, well repairs or changes in water quality can require testing sooner. Keep the sample date, results and recommended follow-up; an old report is not a guarantee of current water quality.

EPA: Protect your home’s water

Septic: use the system’s records and condition

EPA advises a professional inspection at least every three years for an average household system; pumping commonly falls every three to five years. Alternative systems generally need annual inspection. Actual timing depends on the system and its use. Save the service findings and recommended next date; ask a professional to resolve missing history.

EPA: Care for your septic system

After-closing questions

What should I do immediately after closing?

Secure access, confirm utilities and insurance, test alarms and review urgent inspection findings. The checklist’s month labels organize routine work; a safety concern or active problem should not wait for its scheduled phase.

Should I pump the septic tank as soon as I move in?

Obtain the records and ask a septic professional to assess the appropriate timing. A missing receipt is an information gap, not proof that pumping is due. System type, use and condition matter.

Do I need a new well-water test after buying a house?

Review the latest test and ask your local health department whether its date, scope and any changed conditions call for another test. Use a certified laboratory and keep the results with your home records.

How much should I set aside for first-year repairs?

Start with the work identified for your home and obtain local estimates. Separate urgent work, planned upkeep and optional upgrades, then set a reserve your household can sustain. A percentage rule cannot price the condition of a particular property.

How do I turn the inspection report into a useful plan?

Choose one finding, record what supports it and what is still unknown, and identify the next person or action needed. Keep the report and follow-up together. Revise the plan when you receive a test result, estimate or service record.

Can I use the checklist without an account?

You can work through the checklist on this page. Progress saves in this browser when storage is available. The printable checklist uses the download form; a HomeScore account is a separate step for starting your private home plan.

Sources and how to use this checklist

HomeScore organizes ownership into decisions, records and next actions. The timing below is a planning sequence, not a reason to delay a safety concern, active leak or professional recommendation. Manufacturer instructions, local requirements and the condition of your home determine the actual work. The primary sources below support alarm, water, septic and document guidance; the checklist is not a property inspection.