10 Things to Do After Closing on a Home in San Francisco
Congratulations, you're officially a homeowner! Whether you've just purchased your first condo in San Francisco, a single-family home in Noe Valley, or a property on the Peninsula, closing on your new home is an exciting milestone.
After months of searching, touring properties, negotiating, and navigating escrow, you finally have the keys.
But before you get too comfortable, there are a few important things you should take care of.
As a San Francisco Bay Area real estate agent, I always encourage my buyers to think beyond closing day. A little preparation during the first few weeks can help you avoid unexpected expenses, protect your investment, and make the transition into your new home much smoother.
Here are my 10 most important things to do after closing on a house, including a few tips that are particularly relevant for San Francisco homeowners.
Prefer to watch? Check out my video covering these 10 essential steps for new homeowners.
1. Change the Locks and Reset Security Codes
One of the very first things I recommend doing after getting your keys is updating your home's security.
Even if the previous owners handed over every key they had, there's no way to know how many additional copies might be floating around. Contractors, house cleaners, former tenants, and neighbors may have received keys over the years.
You don't necessarily need to replace every lock. A locksmith can often rekey your existing locks, which is usually less expensive.
If your new home has smart technology, don't forget to update:
Smart door locks and keypads
Garage door openers and remote controls
Home security systems and alarm codes
Security cameras and associated accounts
Smart doorbells and other connected devices
Make sure previous owners no longer have access to any connected home systems.
My tip: Schedule a locksmith for your first day of ownership, especially if the property was previously rented or has changed hands multiple times.
2. Set Up Your Utilities Before Moving In
There's nothing quite like arriving at your new home, ready to unpack, only to discover that the internet isn't working or the electricity has been disconnected.
Ideally, you'll want to arrange utility service before your actual moving day.
Your checklist should include:
Electricity and natural gas
Water and sewer
Garbage, recycling, and compost collection
Internet service
Home security monitoring, if applicable
For buyers purchasing in San Francisco, a few useful resources include:
PG&E for gas and electric service at most properties
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission for water and sewer accounts
Recology San Francisco for garbage, recycling, and compost collection
If you're purchasing a condominium, certain utilities may already be included in your HOA dues. Review your HOA documents to determine which services you're responsible for setting up.
It's also worth arranging internet installation early. Depending on the provider and property, an appointment may be required.
3. Locate Your Home's Important Shutoff Valves and Systems
This is one of those things homeowners rarely think about until something goes wrong.
Imagine discovering a leaking pipe and having no idea where to turn off the water.
During your first few days in the home, take some time to locate:
Main water shutoff valve: Know how to stop water flowing into the house.
Electrical panel: Identify the circuit breakers and which areas they control.
Gas shutoff valve: Learn its location and the proper emergency procedure.
Water heater: Find the unit and review its operating instructions.
Heating and cooling equipment: Locate your furnace, air conditioning system, and thermostat controls.
Sprinkler or irrigation controls: Understand how to shut off outdoor water systems.
I recommend taking photos of these locations and saving them in a folder on your phone.
If you aren't familiar with how something works, ask a qualified professional to show you. Gas service, in particular, should only be shut off when necessary, and restoring service may require your utility provider.
For San Francisco buyers purchasing older Victorian or Edwardian homes, this step is especially important. Mechanical systems and shutoff locations can be less intuitive than those found in newer construction.
4. Forward Your Mail and Update Your Address
Between moving, unpacking, and getting settled, updating your mailing address is an easy task to overlook.
Start by submitting an official change-of-address request through the United States Postal Service.
Mail forwarding helps bridge the transition, but it doesn't replace updating your address with important organizations.
Be sure to notify:
Banks and credit card companies
Employers and payroll departments
Insurance companies
Healthcare providers
Subscription and delivery services
The DMV and voter registration authorities
Financial institutions and investment accounts
Don't forget to update your address for online shopping accounts, too. You'd be surprised how easily an order can end up at your old home.
My tip: Keep a running list of any mail that arrives with your old address during the first couple of months. It's an easy way to catch accounts you may have forgotten to update.
5. Review Your Home Inspection Report Again
You probably spent a lot of time reviewing inspection reports before purchasing your home.
But once the transaction closes, those reports often end up buried in an email folder.
I recommend going through them again, this time with a different perspective.
Before closing, your focus was on understanding the property's condition and deciding whether to purchase it. Now, your goal is to develop a plan for maintaining and improving the home.
Look for items such as:
Roof conditions and recommended repairs
Plumbing leaks or aging pipes
Electrical safety concerns
Foundation or drainage issues
Signs of moisture intrusion
Heating system maintenance
Pest or wood-destroying organism findings
Divide the recommendations into three categories: items requiring immediate attention, improvements to address within the next year, and things to monitor over time.
Not every observation in an inspection report requires an expensive repair. However, understanding which issues need attention can help you plan and budget.
This is particularly valuable for San Francisco homeowners. Many of the city's most desirable properties are decades old, and some are more than a century old.
Preventive maintenance can make a significant difference in protecting these homes over time.
6. Review Your Homeowner's Insurance Coverage
Your homeowner's insurance should already be in place by the time you close on your property. But that doesn't mean you should file away the policy and forget about it.
Take some time to understand what you're actually covered for.
A few things worth reviewing include:
Dwelling coverage and rebuilding costs
Personal property coverage
Liability protection
Deductibles
Coverage limitations and exclusions
Additional living expenses if the home becomes uninhabitable
For homeowners in California, there's another important consideration: earthquake insurance.
Standard homeowner's insurance policies generally do not cover damage caused by earthquakes or flooding. These risks typically require separate coverage.
You can learn more through the California Department of Insurance.
If you've purchased a condo in San Francisco, review the HOA's master insurance policy along with your individual condo insurance to understand where one policy ends and the other begins.
The goal isn't necessarily to purchase every available insurance product. It's to understand your exposure and make informed decisions about how much protection you need.
7. Set Up Automatic Payments and Organize Your Home Expenses
Buying a home often comes with new financial responsibilities.
In addition to your mortgage, you may be managing HOA dues, property taxes, insurance premiums, utilities, and ongoing maintenance expenses.
One of the simplest ways to stay organized is to set up automatic payments wherever appropriate.
Consider automating:
Monthly mortgage payments
Utility bills
HOA dues, if applicable
Homeowner's insurance premiums, if not paid through escrow
Other recurring home expenses
Even with automatic payments, review your statements regularly and maintain enough money in your payment account to cover upcoming bills.
A Special Note About Property Taxes in San Francisco
New California homeowners should also understand supplemental property tax assessments.
When a property changes ownership, the county generally reassesses its value. If the new assessed value is higher than the previous value, you may receive a supplemental property tax bill.
This bill can arrive after closing and may be separate from your regular property tax payments.
Even if your mortgage lender collects property taxes through an escrow account, don't assume that a supplemental tax bill will automatically be paid.
You can learn more on the San Francisco Treasurer & Tax Collector website.
Planning for this expense early can help avoid an unpleasant surprise.
8. Create a Home Maintenance Schedule
One of the biggest differences between renting and owning is that you're now responsible for maintaining the property.
The good news is that many costly repairs can be avoided or minimized by catching small problems early.
I recommend putting together a simple maintenance calendar with monthly, seasonal, and annual tasks.
Monthly or quarterly tasks might include:
Testing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
Checking for visible plumbing leaks
Inspecting sinks, toilets, and appliance connections
Checking HVAC filters
Inspecting bathrooms for moisture or deteriorating caulking
Annual or seasonal maintenance might include:
Servicing your heating and cooling systems
Cleaning gutters and checking drainage
Inspecting the roof for visible damage
Checking exterior paint, sealants, and window caulking
Inspecting decks, stairs, and railings
Reviewing your home's plumbing and electrical systems as needed
For San Francisco homes, I pay particular attention to moisture management.
Our coastal climate, winter rains, fog, and the age of many local properties make water intrusion an especially important issue to monitor.
Keeping gutters clear, maintaining exterior seals, and addressing leaks quickly can help prevent more extensive damage.
If your inspection report identified specific concerns, add those items to your maintenance calendar.
9. Deep Clean Before You Fully Move In
Even when a property looks spotless during the final walkthrough, I recommend doing a thorough deep clean before you finish moving in.
An empty home gives you access to areas that will be much harder to clean once furniture and belongings are in place.
Focus on:
Kitchen cabinets and drawers
Inside the refrigerator and oven
Bathrooms, including grout and fixtures
Closets and shelving
Baseboards, window tracks, and doorframes
Floors and carpets
Light fixtures and accessible vents
If your budget allows, this is a great time to hire professional cleaners.
For older homes, especially those with delicate hardwood floors, original finishes, or historic architectural details, be sure to use cleaning products appropriate for the materials.
A deep clean also gives you an opportunity to inspect the property more closely.
You may notice a slow leak under a sink, deteriorating caulking around a bathtub, or another small issue that wasn't obvious during the final walkthrough.
10. Replace Your Home's Filters
Last, but certainly not least, replace or clean the filters throughout your home.
Unless the previous owner provided maintenance records, you probably don't know when they were last serviced.
Start with the following:
HVAC filters: Check your furnace or heating and cooling system. Replace disposable filters with the correct size and type recommended for the equipment.
Refrigerator water filters: If your refrigerator has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker, check when its filter was last replaced.
Range hood filters: Inspect the filters above your stove. Metal grease filters can often be washed and reused, while some charcoal filters require replacement.
Whole-house water filters: If the property has a water filtration system, review its maintenance requirements and replace filters as recommended.
Depending on your home's systems, there may be additional filters that require attention.
It's a small task, but starting with clean, properly maintained filters is a simple way to establish a baseline for future maintenance.
Frequently Asked Questions About Moving Into a New Home
What should I do immediately after closing on a house?
Your first priorities should be securing the property, confirming utilities are active, and locating the main water, gas, and electrical shutoffs. These steps help ensure that your new home is safe, accessible, and ready for move-in.
Should I change the locks when buying a new house?
Yes. I recommend changing or rekeying exterior door locks after closing, even if you received keys from the previous owner. You should also reset garage door codes, smart locks, alarm systems, and any other connected security devices.
Do I need to set up utilities before closing?
You can usually schedule utilities to begin around your closing date. It's best to arrange service in advance so there isn't an interruption when you take possession. Confirm the actual ownership and possession dates with your real estate agent before scheduling changes.
What additional expenses should San Francisco homebuyers prepare for after closing?
In addition to moving expenses and regular mortgage payments, buyers should budget for utilities, property maintenance, potential repairs, homeowner's insurance, HOA dues when applicable, and supplemental property taxes. Older properties may also require more immediate maintenance than newer homes.
Final Thoughts: Enjoy Your New Home!
Buying a home is a major accomplishment, and it's worth taking a moment to celebrate.
There's always something special about getting the keys, opening the front door, and realizing that the space is officially yours.
While this checklist may seem like a lot, most of these tasks are relatively simple. Taking care of them early can make homeownership less stressful and help you protect one of your most important investments.
And remember, your relationship with your real estate agent shouldn't end at closing. I love staying connected with my clients long after they've purchased their homes, whether they need a recommendation for a contractor, have a question about their property, or simply want advice about the local market.