The last weeks before move-in are exciting – and stressful. The more prepared you are, the smoother settlement day and the transition that follows will be.
Why it matters: Moving into a newly built home isn’t just about boxes and furniture. From packing smart to handling insurance and closing documents, preparation helps you start life in your new home with confidence.
Getting Ready to Move
Stay in touch with your builder for timing but expect possible delays. While waiting, use the time wisely:
Print your floor plan and mark furniture placement. Share copies with movers to simplify move-in.
Decide what to keep, donate, or sell before packing.
Line Up a Mover
Choose early – whether professionals or friends.
Key steps:
Check licenses and references.
Understand coverage: “full valuation protection” repairs or replaces lost/damaged goods, while “released value coverage” is free but limited to 60 cents per pound per item.
Review optional liability insurance and your homeowner’s policy for gaps.
Gather moving estimates once you know your likely settlement date.
Start Packing
Begin with storage boxes, seasonal items, and décor. Then move to books, toys, closets, and linens.
Tips:
Inventory your belongings – use pen and paper, photos, or apps like MyStuff2.
Label boxes by room.
Designate a “first night” box with essentials like sheets, toiletries, paper goods, chargers, and medications.
Keep closing documents, receipts, and IDs accessible.
Update Your Address
File a change of address at USPS.com or at your local post office.
Notify:
DMV, banks, credit cards, insurance companies, utilities
Schools and childcare providers for transcripts and registration
Subscription services and publications
Check on Insurance and Security
Confirm your homeowner’s insurance is active on settlement day.
Consider a security system: many new homes include one, but you may need to activate or install it.
Work With Your Lender
As completion nears, lenders will finalize your loan and recheck your credit and employment. Be ready with documentation for unusual deposits.
If you’re selling a home, coordinate both closings so funds transfer smoothly.
Settlement Day
Expect to meet at the builder’s sales office with your lender, builder, and title company.
“The process of buying and closing on a newly built home is a little different from an existing home, primarily because you’re usually working from a contract provided by the builder,” says Todd Ewing of Federal Title & Escrow. “It’s a good idea to have a realtor or a real estate attorney review the contract just to make sure your interests are represented.”
Key documents to review:
HUD-1 Settlement Statement – all charges and credits.
Truth-in-Lending Statement – total loan costs and APR.
Promissory Note – your loan terms and repayment obligation.
Deed of Trust – pledges your home as collateral.
Understand Your Title Insurance
“There’s a misconception that a title search and title insurance don’t matter as much on a new home, but the reality is that new homes are often built on recently subdivided land with new easements and are built with lots of subcontractors, so in some ways a new home could be even riskier,” Ewing says.
Lender’s title insurance protects their investment.
Owner’s or enhanced owner’s title insurance protects you directly.
Taxes and Homeownership
Expect property taxes to be collected in escrow as part of your mortgage.
“The first time you file income taxes after you become a homeowner, you should fill out Schedule A on your federal income taxes to itemize your deductions,” says Anis Blemur, a registered tax professional. Deductions may include property taxes, mortgage interest, and points paid at closing.
Check local first-time buyer tax credits.
Organizing Your New Home
Modern new homes often include:
Family foyers with cubbies, closets, and benches.
Charging stations, oversized pantries, or hobby rooms.
Smart storage for downsizers.
“Moving into an active adult community was a great transition in terms of giving up snow removal and yard work, but it was also a psychological transition to less space,” says Jan Johnson, a buyer in an Epcon Communities development in Columbus, Ohio.
Landscaping Tips
Most homes come with basic landscaping. Over time, plan additions:
Choose native plants for easier upkeep.
Balance trees, shade, and light for comfort.
Plan for entertaining spaces, fire pits, or water features.
Create a lighting plan for evenings outdoors.
Enjoy Your New Home
“When your new home is finished, all you have to do is turn the key and walk through the door - everything is done the way you want it,” says KB Home’s Tom Silk.
Celebrate being the first to live in your space – from the first meal in your oven to the first fire in your fireplace.
Bottom line: Moving into a new-build home takes planning – packing, paperwork, insurance, and settlement details – but the reward is a fresh start in a home designed for you.
Michele Lerner
Michele Lerner is an award-winning freelance writer, editor and author who has been writing about real estate, personal finance and business topics for more than two decades.