12 necessities that every home needs

Whether you’re a seasoned homeowner, or you’ve just signed a mortgage for the first time in your life, buying a new home is an exciting life event. It’s also a major financial investment. Making sure you’re protecting that investment is a critical part of the home purchase process.

To make things a little easier, we’ve put together a new home must haves checklist to help save you time and make moving a little less daunting. 

Must buy: Smart locks

Changing out the locks throughout your new home should be at the top of your list, whether it's a new build or you’re moving into a pre-owned home.

If you’re looking for an easier and safer way to control when movers come and go, consider installing connected smart locks. Smart locks add convenience to your day-to-day, allowing you to let in trusted visitors remotely without needing to hide a spare key.

Need to unlock your door when you're not there? Consider a video doorbell  when a visitor rings the bell, you can verify who they are via live video on your smartphone through the Alarm.com app. Once you confirm who’s at your door, you can unlock your smart lock from the same video screen.

Must buy: Smart thermostat

Speaking of making your home more energy efficient, a smart thermostat can start saving energy right away, simply by setting your cooling or heating back when you're not home.

Because it's connected to your security system, a smart thermostat knows exactly when you're home or not—ensuring that you get savings when you're away, and comfort when you're there. It also has some very smart extra ways to save you energy, like adjusting its own temperature if a window has been left open when the AC is on to prevent wasting energy

Must buy: New blinds or window treatments

Upgrade your new home’s ambiance (and your privacy) with window treatments or blinds, especially for bedrooms and other areas you may want to keep less exposed (need for privacy instead of less exposed) to the neighborhood. Blinds can also help insulate rooms from drafty windows to keep you warmer during winter months.

Must buy: Fire extinguisher

It’s a good idea to have several fire extinguishers handy throughout your new home, in case of a small fire emergency. Having one of these potentially life-saving devices—and knowing how to use it—could make a huge difference the next time you forget something cooking on the stove.

Must buy: Connected smoke alarms

The last thing you want is a fire emergency, but that’s the exact reason why you need to prepare for it. Smart, connected alarms work together to alert everyone who may be in different areas of your home. Your smart system will also contact the authorities immediately to get you help. And canceling a false alarm is as easy as tapping your smartphone.

Must buy: First aid kit

Pick up a first aid kit before you start unpacking or moving furniture around in your new home, in case there’s any bumps or bruises along the way.

Must buy: Tool kit

It’s a rite of passage for every new homeowner to buy a tool kit: you can’t have fun fixing things around the house unless you have the right tool for every job.

Must buy: Flashlights

Don’t wait until the lights go out to wish you had bought a couple of flashlights beforehand. Add them to your ‘things for the house’ checklist now, so you don’t forget later.

Side note: keep flashlights in easy-to-find areas of the house and don’t forget to stock (and change) the batteries!

Must buy: Video doorbell

Always know who’s at your door, even when you’re not home with the Alarm.com touchless video doorbell. You can see who’s at the door instantly by opening your doorbell’s live video feed. Its HD vision, HDR, and night vision technology ensure you’ll have a clear view while you talk to your visitor over two-way audio.

Must buy: Surge protectors & extension cords

Don’t blow a fuse even if you blow a fuse. Keep new appliances and electronics plugged in safely with surge protectors. And unless you have outlets every couple of feet along the floor, you’ll probably need to pick up a couple of extension cords, too.

Speaking of outlets, installing smart plugs around your home is another quick and easy way to save energy. When you leave devices like TVs, game consoles, and coffee machines plugged in even when they’re “off,” they still draw energy.

Smart plugs eliminate this waste by cutting the power supply to these devices when you don't need them. You can control your smart plugs with your Alarm.com app or a voice-activated Scene, or simply schedule them to turn off at night.

Must buy: Outdoor video cameras & lights

Keep a watchful eye on your property with connected home video surveillance cameras and think about installing motion-sensor outdoor lights for added safety and convenience. See exactly who’s roaming around in the dark—whether it’s a critter welcoming you to the neighborhood or something more serious.

Must buy: Outdoor storage protection

Your outdoor property is a big part of your new home investment and you want to keep it and your belongings, like your lawn mower, grill, or boat sitting in your back yard safe. Specialized outdoor contact sensors work with your connected home security system to keep free standing structures safe. When attached to a gate or shed door, these rugged sensors alert you in the event of movement and you can take action from anywhere.

Best buy: Connected home security system

The latest smart home security systems don't just give you peace of mind; they can also take care of several common problems from day one, making an instant impact on your new home's to-do list.

A smart security system protects and manages your entire home, with a variety of options you can customize like wireless contact sensors for doors and windows and also video cameras with alerts and live streaming. Help avoid damage to your home with safety devices like connected smoke detectors, and a smart water valve that provides alerts and shut-down measures when a water leak, freeze, or floods is detected.

Alarm.com-powered systems are professionally monitored for emergencies and come with proactive intelligence that starts protecting your home and family immediately.

Alarm.com professionals will work with you to customize a smart home security system for your home accessible via the Alarm.com app, which keeps you connected to home with security alerts and more.

Getting connected with an Alarm.com licensed security professional is the fastest way to put your mind at ease and secure your new home properly, whether you’re building your home security system from the ground up, looking to upgrade what’s already been installed, or not sure exactly where to begin.

Protect your new investment from the start and keep your family, property, and all your belongings safe and connected. Welcome home!