You bought a Home – what to do next?

Properties

So You have bought a property in the USA, what do you do now?

Had  you  been helped by a company such as Florida 360, you would have been shown the best properties that supported your interests, received support during the buying  phase, during moving and in establishing your family in a new community in the USA. 

Your worries would have been over.

If you were not supported by a Full Service Company like Florida 360 we are providing you with a list of the main actions to be taken immediately after the closing of the buying transaction:

  1. Activate the automatic payment of your monthly bills with your bank: association fee, water, electricity, cable TV, Internet and any other bill that pertains to the upkeep of your property. This is particularly important if you’re not yet living in the USA, since it will keep you from defaulting on your financial obligations.
  1. Notify the Post Office (USPS – United States Postal Services) in case you want your mail to be re-sent to a local address, and especially if you want to rent your property and are not yet living in the US. For Florida 360’s clients, we offer a mail reception and management service while you’re not in the US.
  1. Hire a landscaping and a pool maintenance service: In case you acquired a house with a yard and/or pool, you will have to hire help for their maintenance approximately every 2 weeks. In the US, your City and Homeowners or Condominium Association establishes appearance standards that must be met by your property.
  1. Change the House’s Locks: Especially if you have purchased the property from a third party.
  1. Reduction of Your Property Tax: if you hold a green card or are an American citizen and your property is used as your primary residency, you can have your annual property tax reduced. For this purpose, it is necessary to submit a request to the city before the 10th March (so that it is enforced in the current year). To research this tax benefit, visit www.bcpa.gov.
  1. Disconnect the water (If no garden) and gas: in case your property will stay vacant for some time..
  1. Notify your building’s administrator about whom you authorize to have access to your property while you are not there (do not forget about the service providers that will keep your property well-cared for). 
  1. Schedule your sprinkler’s timer: in case your property has a garden, you will surely need to have an irrigation system to keep your garden and grass well hydrated. Do not forget to check whether the system is working properly, and to adjust it so that it is activated around 4 or 5 a.m., which is the best time for the plants’ watering.
  1. Shutters (against hurricanes): check the condition of the panels that are placed on the windows to prevent damages in case of hurricanes. This may not necessary for some new apartments and houses, since some are built with hurricane-proof tempered glass. The hurricane season in Florida starts in June and ends in November.
  1. Pest Control: spraying your property every 2 months is an extremely important step, specially in Florida, where there is a large abundance of insects, molds and animals.

We are  at your service to help you acquire, maintain or sell your properties in Florida.

FLORIDA 360 INVESTMENTS & REALTY, LLC

Miami – Weston – Fort Lauderdale – Delray Beach – Orlando

Tel: +1 (954) 449-2529

Tel: +1 (954) 325-2625+1 (atención en Español, Português y whatsapp)

E-mail: [email protected]

Skype: florida360realty