Avoid Utilities Being Shut off this Winter in Your New Home

Contact your insurance agent, utilities (gas, water, electricity, telephone, cable TV, etc.) to schedule disconnection of services on the day following your move; we provide a utility contact list to clients before moving. 

You’ll want to have utilities on while you still own the house. Remember we are in Michiga and we have pipes that freeze. Call the utilities in your new town to arrange for service to start the day before your move so that you have service when you arrive at your new home. And don’t forget to arrange for an expert, if necessary, to install fixtures upon their arrival at your new home. 

The word from DTE is that when a transfer of ownership is taking place the words to use by both parties is “READ FOR CHANGE” and give a date, either the day of closing or the day after( a better choice, if there are any problems with closing the seller’s home is still protected) for the “change in billing”. According to the utility, if they have any question as to what they are suppose to be doing, they default to a shut off since they feel they are protecting the credit of their customer (the previous owner). 

Change address for magazines, credit card companies and notify friends and family of your new address. The U. S. Postal Service offers a kit to make this process easier: U.S. Postal Service Change of Address Form. You can also change your address online, here to get your mail delivered to your new address without the hassle of waiting in line at the post office. 

Keep the kids’ essential records in a secure folder that goes with you, especially anything needed for enrollment in their new schools, including birth certificates and other school records. Also keep handy, prescriptions, medical and dental records, vet, driver’s license, auto registration and insurance records, mover contact information and estimates, new job contacts, recent bank records, current bills, phone lists, closing papers, realtor information, maps, and more. In addition, carry do not pack, valuable jewelry and all vital documents, such as wills, stock certificates, vaccination records, and other original documents.   For moving tips, click here.

Pack “necessities” you’ll need immediately in your new home: toilet paper, soap, shampoo, bath and paper towels, shower curtain, etc. Carry it with you in the car or on the plane. It will be easier than having to run out and buy these things upon arrival. 

Get your new phone book and take your current phone book with you. You may need to make calls to residents or businesses back in your former hometown.

 If your old house will be sitting vacant, notify police and neighbors.   

Keep all receipts for moving-related expenses in a separate folder, since many moving expenses are tax deductible. You can obtain an IRS Change of Address form (Form 8822) by calling (800) 829-1040 or by visiting www.irs.gov, where you can download and print Form 8822 and most other tax forms (for example, Form 3903 can help you deduct moving expenses).  

The Ann Arbor Real Estate Market is changing monthly; keep informed of market updates. If you are considering a move and are looking for a free state of the art over the net market snapshot for local property, just click here. 

Click here to search all listings in Michigan with pictures and tours – FREE! 

Kathy Toth and Team  www.KathyToth.com Ann Arbor Real Market Center 

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