Your Post-Closing Checklist: What Every New Indiana Homeowner Should Do in the First 30 Days

Organize and Store Your Closing Documents

Your closing packet includes some of the most important documents you'll ever receive. Set up a dedicated folder — physical or digital — and place these inside immediately:

Closing Disclosure or Settlement Statement: The financial summary of your entire transaction. Keep this permanently.

Title Insurance Policy: Your owner's policy (if you purchased one) confirms your coverage. Store it securely.

Loan Documents (if financed): Your promissory note and mortgage document. You'll need these if you ever refinance.

Recorded Deed: This will arrive separately in the mail after the county records it. Add it to your folder when it arrives.

Digital copies stored in a secure location — cloud backup, encrypted drive — are a good supplement to paper originals.

Watch for Your Recorded Deed

Your deed was submitted to the county recorder after closing. Once it is recorded and returned, you'll receive a copy through the mail — often through the title company.

The timing varies by county. Some Indiana counties process deeds quickly; others may take several weeks. If a month has passed and you have not received your recorded deed, contact your title company. They can check on the recording status and how the document will be returned.

Look Into the Indiana Homestead Exemption

Indiana offers a homestead exemption that reduces the assessed value of your primary residence for property tax purposes — which can meaningfully reduce your property tax bill.

To claim the exemption, you file an application with your county assessor's office. In most Indiana counties, the deadline to apply for the exemption to take effect in the current tax year is January 5.

If you closed recently, determine whether the current year's deadline has passed. If it has, the exemption will apply beginning the following year — but file as soon as you can.

Contact your county assessor's office directly for the specific form, process, and deadline that applies to you.

Update Your Address With Key Parties

Even if you're staying in the area, update your mailing address with:

• The U.S. Postal Service (forward mail from your prior address) • Your employer's HR department for payroll and tax documents • Your bank, lender, and financial institutions • The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles for your driver's license and vehicle registration • Your insurance companies • The IRS and Social Security Administration if needed • Any subscription services and regular vendors

This step is easy to forget when you're focused on moving logistics, but delays in getting important mail — including your first property tax bill — can cause unnecessary problems.

Watch for Your First Property Tax Bill

Indiana property taxes are paid in arrears, typically in two installments — one in the spring and one in the fall. Depending on when you closed, you may have received a credit at closing for taxes already owed by the seller, or you may have proration amounts to account for.

Your county treasurer's office will mail your property tax statement. Confirm that it arrives at your new address. If you have an escrow account through your lender, they may handle the payment — but it's still worth verifying that your county records reflect your ownership correctly.

Review Your Homeowner's Insurance

You purchased homeowner's insurance before closing, but now is a good time to review your policy and make sure:

• The coverage amount is appropriate for the home's value • The policy reflects you as the current owner at the correct address • You understand what is and is not covered • Your deductibles and premium are aligned with your budget

If anything has changed — the home has improvements you weren't aware of, your lender requires a specific coverage level — update your policy accordingly.

Be Cautious With Official-Looking Mail

In the weeks after closing, new homeowners often receive letters that look remarkably official — using public record information, formal language, and payment deadlines. Some of these offer to sell a copy of your deed, provide title services, or offer property-related records for a fee.

Not all of these letters come from the county or your title company. Many are from private companies using publicly available recording information to market services.

Read any post-closing mail carefully before sending payment or providing personal information. If a letter is unclear or seems unexpected, call your title company or county office using a number you find independently — not the number on the letter.