The woman on the left above is beaming next to her lender Leslie Vanderwerf after closing on her first house… she is now a Minnesota homeowner! As we were chatting around the closing table, giving advice on what to expect after closing I realized this is good information for any home buyer.
Some things to be aware of after closing…
- Homesteading – you will get documents at closing to file for homestead status which provides several benefits; there is no charge but it must be filed before December 15… don’t forget to do it, status is updated only once a year!
- Scams
- Deed Scam – You may get what looks like an official letter offering to provide you with a copy of your deed for a fee… this is a scam, you already got a copy of your deed at closing!
- Home Warranty Scam – similar to the deed scam, you may get an official looking letter saying payment is needed for your home warranty, whether you have one or not!
- Bottom line, you shouldn’t need to make any payments after closing, everything should be covered in your closing… ask your agent if you have questions about anything you get asking for payment after closing
- Change locks – you never know how many keys are floating around… change your locks right away so you don’t have a stranger running around with the key to your front door
- Security system – I usually get contacted after closing by a security company offering discounts if the new homeowner signs up for their security coverage; with so many do-it-yourself security systems such as RING available now this isn’t as attractive to homebuyers as it once was, but if you are interested in an outside monitored security system, let your agent know… they may be able to help you obtain a discount
- Utilities – at closing they often collect from the seller for payment of the final water bill because water/sewer stays with the house, but sometimes the payment doesn’t get posted before you get your first water bill, especially if your closing is shortly before the due date… be patient, give it another cycle to resolve
Sharlene Hensrud, RE/MAX Results – shensrud@homesmsp.com
