Getting the keys is the start, not the finish. This checklist covers the general new-home basics plus the California-specific items — earthquake straps, the Homeowners' Exemption, supplemental tax bills and wildfire defensible space — that national lists usually miss.
Week one
Safety and access first — before the boxes are unpacked.
Change or rekey the locks
You don't know how many keys are out there. Include garage door codes and gate remotes.
Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
California requires CO alarms in homes with gas appliances, a fireplace or an attached garage. Replace any alarm past its date.
Find the main shutoffs
Locate the water main, gas meter shutoff and electrical panel. Keep a gas shutoff wrench near the meter.
Check the water heater straps
California requires water heaters to be braced against earthquakes. Make sure both straps are tight and intact.
Set up utilities in your name
Electric, gas, water, trash and internet. Note account numbers somewhere you'll find them again.
First month
Paperwork that's easy now and painful to rebuild later.
Start your home file
Save the closing statement, inspection report, disclosures, warranties and appliance manuals in one place. This is the step most people skip — and regret at sale time.
File the Homeowners' Exemption
If this is your main home, file with your county assessor to reduce your assessed value by $7,000. Check your county's deadline.
Expect a supplemental tax bill
California reassesses the home at purchase. A supplemental property tax bill often arrives months later — plan for it.
Review your insurance
Confirm what your homeowners policy covers. Standard policies don't cover earthquakes; look at the California Earthquake Authority or a private policy.
Register appliance and system warranties
Many manufacturer warranties require registration. Keep the confirmation with the receipt.
First year
Maintenance habits and improvement records that pay off later.
Create defensible space
If you're in a wildfire area, clear brush and keep the first 5 feet around the house free of anything that burns. Photograph before and after.
Service HVAC, gutters and roof
Book an HVAC tune-up before summer, clear gutters before the rainy season and look for loose roof tiles or shingles.
Set seasonal reminders
Filters, smoke alarm batteries, dryer vent cleaning, water heater flush. Small jobs are easy to forget.
Keep every improvement receipt
Capital improvements can raise your cost basis and lower the tax on a future sale. Keep the receipt, date and photos of the work.
Record what you change
Paint colors, flooring, fixtures and who did the work. A future you — or a future buyer — will ask.
Start your home file
Half this checklist is "keep the paperwork." WiseRaven keeps it for you.
Forward or snap your receipts, warranties and inspection report. WiseRaven reads them, files them by home, reminds you about maintenance and builds a Home History report you can hand to an insurer, appraiser or future buyer. Plans start at $25 a year.
This checklist is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and deadlines vary by county — check with your county assessor, insurer or tax professional.