Who Is Responsible For This?
Avoid Costly Moving Mistakes

Before carting in the first box or chair, take a walk through your new home with paper and pencil and a camera, to create a diary of its condition on the day you took occupancy. If anything is not the way you expected it to be, you'll need to make this known right away.

Start by examining the outside of the home for chipped paint and weather or other damage; the locations of the fuse box and water shutoff valve should be noted as well. Inside, inspect the floors, walls, carpet and wallpaper. Jot down the locations of each electrical outlet as you make your way through.

Take specific notes regarding any irregularities you discover; you'll want your real estate agent or landlord to have a full understanding of the problem, and to be able to find it if you're not there to point it out.

If you're renting, you should have been given a list of what appliances and furnishings come with the house or apartment. Verify that everything is in place and in proper working order. Request instruction manuals for the appliances, if you don't see any in the home.

Make sure you have contact information for any services that come with the house, such as yard maintenance. If you're renting, find out if your landlord has accounts with any preferred repair shops or plumbers, so you can contact them right away if you have an emergency.

Once you've completed your visual inspection, turn on the heating and cooling systems and verify that they're working properly in each room. This is also a good opportunity to start planning where to put your furniture.

It's important that both you and the person you're taking occupancy from have the same information and are in agreement about it. Taking the time to carefully document the condition of your new home before you move in can save you a lot of money and trouble later on.

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