Real NEastate: What do I do right after making settlement on my home?

Columnist Stacey McCarthy has the week off. Today, we’re running her post from this time last year.

Q: I am so excited! I make settlement on my first home in Holme Circle on Friday and I don’t know how to get the bills in my name. I want to make sure I have all my bases covered, so I want to call the utility companies asap. Who do I need to call? And will the seller’s bills already be paid off?

A: Congratulations! Owning your first home is very exciting. One thing you shouldn’t have to worry about is the seller’s utility pay-offs. The title company you use to make settlement will make sure the seller’s utility bills are paid up. Don’t jump the gun on making those calls before settlement, however. It’s a good idea to wait until after settlement to make your calls to utility companies. Sometimes unforeseen things can happen to delay settlement and you wouldn’t want to be paying the seller’s bills while you wait for settlement.

Make these calls immediately after settlement:

-The Water Bill: At settlement you will receive a HUD-1 settlement form. You will need to fax this to the water company to get the water bill switched over. So make sure you keep that document handily available. You can call the water department at    215-686-6880.

-The Electric Bill: You need to call PECO at 1-800-494-4000.

-The Gas Bill: You need to call PGW at 215-235-2050.

Optional:

-The Phone Company: Remember when there was one phone company? Well now there are several. Call one of your choosing, that is, if you decide to even use a “land line.”

-The Cable Company: Unless you go the Direct TV route, Comcast, if you so choose, is 215-673-6600.

Stacey McCarthy is a real estate agent with the McCarthy Group of Keller Williams. Her Real NEastate column appears every Wednesday on NEastPhilly.com. See others here. Read other NEast Philly columns here.

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