Congratulations, you are now officially a home owner and there’s a few things you will need to do.

First, you’ll want to change the locks on your new home.  There’s no way to know how many keys may be floating around.  Any local locksmith should be able to change your locks in a couple of hours.

Second, you’ll need to setup your mortgage payment.  Typically, your first payment will be due the second month after you close.  For example, if you close on June 15, your first payment will be due August 1.  Your lender will mail you information about setting up a payment plan prior to your first payment.Third, you’ll need to file for your homestead exemption with your county.  This exemption will reduce your home’s taxable value by around 20%.  You can you go your county’s appraisal district website to download the form. You can only apply for this exemption after Jan. 1.

This is the last post in an 8 part series aimed to provide help and guidance to Houston’s first-time home buyers. Click here to start at Step 1 of this first-time Homebuyers guide. Or if you would like to speak to a real live human about these questions and steps, fill out the form below.

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