Homeowners Do’s and Don’ts on Moving to a New Neighborhood
Moving is hard work, stressful, and filled with adventure says the Local Records Office. These do’s and don’ts can help you position the new home adventure you or someone you know is having a positive one. It makes sense to know what’s proper and what’s not in your or your relatives, friends, or neighbors’ new home and hood. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home shares some do’s and don’ts on new homeowner etiquette.
Do’s
- Host your own housewarming party; if you’re a new homeowner invite friends and family over to see the new place.
- Deliver your sets of keys to your new neighbors home that the previous homeowners gave to you.
- Introduce yourself your partner and children to your neighbors before they seek you out. New homeowners, young and old love to be welcomed to the hood.
- Offer to introduce your new neighbors and their dog(s) to other dogs they might run into on neighborhood walks.
- Don’t forget to warm new homeowners with pets about which dog-owners allow their dogs to go off-leash.
- Offer advice on your favorite bakery, hairstylist, babysitters, and dog groomers
- Alert them to the locations of 24-hours stores, in case your new neighbors have an emergency in the middle of the night.
- Offer to help family members who are new homeowners get unpacked or clean.
- Offer to take mountains of packing and moving boxes to the local recycling center for new homeowners.
- Offer to host an informal neighborhood get-together for your new neighbors to meet the current ones.
- Know when it’s time to go home, don’t wear out your welcome with the new homeowners.
- Bring your new neighbor’s bottle of chilled spring water or wine on moving day and offer to catch up with them once they get settled.
- Deliver your name, address, and phone number with a list of emergency numbers to your new neighbor.
- Offer to clean recently moved-in new neighbors sidewalks after a snowfall; especially if they moved from a non-snow climate.
- Suggest that packages your new neighbors are expecting can be left at your home while they are at work.
- Wave to your new neighbors if you don’t have the time to talk.
- And your neighbors, who they would recommend for repairs and remodeling projects in your new home.
- Do learn from neighbors with different cultural backgrounds.
Don’t
- Register for gifts if you’re hosting a housewarming party in your new home
- Expect housewarming guests to bring gifts and if you do receive gifts, open after the party
- Don’t drop in on new homeowners, call first
- Offer to decorate advice to a new homeowner unless asked
- Don’t ask how much they paid or imply that the new homeowner over or underpaid. People consider financial information private.
- Gossip about the previous homeowners, you might not know if the new owners still talk with them
- Don’t gossip about others in the neighborhood. Let them make their own decisions
- Attach ribbons, signs, or flags to the new homeowner’s property without asking permission
- Ask your new neighbor to trim trees or hedges on your first meeting; they probably know what needs to be done, in time
- Expect new homeowners to have free time. Moving, working, and setting up a household is at the minimum a part-time endeavor.
Housewarming Gift Suggestions Ideas
- Personalized stationery with the new homeowner’s address
- How-to home repair book
- Homemade baked goods
- Fresh-picked vegetables and fruit from your garden
- Blooming or foliage houseplants
- Watering can for inside plants
- Specialty coffee and teas
- Fun and funky kitchen towels
- Exotic spices
- Gift certificates for home improvement stores, house cleaners, dog walkers, landscapers, a local restaurant, spa gift cards, window washers
- Bar accessories, corkscrew, cocktail shakers, wine, and drink coasters
- Everyday wine glasses
- Champagne to toast the new owners
- Picture frames
- Candles
- Bar accessories: bottle opener, corkscrew, swizzle sticks, and cocktail shakers
For Those With a Yard
- Garden tools, or potted perennials from your yard
- A bird feeder or house
- American flag