It’s taken you years to become intimately familiar with the particularities of your home, so when it’s time to hand over the keys to the new owner, you’ll want to do them a favor and jot down any points about the property that may smoothen their transition, for example:
- Sometimes light switches aren’t logically situated closest to the corresponding light. Leave a note to help the new owners make the connection.
- If there’s a time gap between you moving out and the new owners coming in, you may decide to shut off the water valves to avoid the risk of damage from leaks in the empty property. Let the new owners know where the valves are and that they’re shut off, in case they panic and call a plumber when the taps don’t work. In fact, it’s a good idea to mark all water shutoffs clearly for their future reference anyway.
- If you have an automatic garage opener, jot down the code, and also instructions on how to change the code as necessary.
- If you have trusted home services — a cleaner, a lawn maintenance company, a handyman who knows your home inside and out, a local baby sitter or flexible dog walker — you may want to leave their contact information behind for the new owners.
- Those leaving behind a garden may want to outline which perennials to expect in different parts of the garden and how best to care for those plants once the warm weather kicks in.
- Also in your note, include helpful tips about the area, such as where to buy the freshest baked goods, where to find out about community events like free concerts in the park, and even when garbage day is and how to dispose of things most efficiently. A folder with local food delivery services and a list of the most popular, nearby restaurants would be welcomed as well.
Don’t forget to leave behind all appliance manuals, instruction papers and warranties for appliances and other things staying in the home, especially since some warranties may be transferrable to the new owners. If you’ve recently painted, you may want to leave the leftover paint or at least the paint chips in case the new owners need to match colors when touching up the paint in a particular room.
Buyers moving in will appreciate finding a roll of toilet paper, hand soap and paper towels left in the washroom for their use, and a few bottles of water in the fridge. For an extraspecial touch, you could even leave them a bottle of wine to enjoy at the end of their busy move-in day.
Last but not least, you’ll want to jot down your new address and contact information, in case any deliveries come for you that need to be forwarded on.