Painted Tree Neighbors

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Move-In Checklist

Last updated 2026-06-14

Welcome to the Neighborhood

Moving into a brand-new build comes with a long to-do list, and the order you tackle things in actually matters. This checklist is distilled from neighbors who have already been through it. Use it as a starting point and always do your own due diligence.

A few of these are far easier to do before your furniture and cars arrive. Those are flagged below. Knock them out early and save yourself the headache.

Set Up Utilities First

Get these started right around closing so you're not sitting in a dark house.

  • Electricity (Grayson-Collin): Sign up at graysoncollin.smarthub.coop. Expect roughly a $65 deposit.
  • Gas (Atmos Energy): Register at atmosenergy.com. There's a security deposit (refunded after a year) plus a one-time technician fee to start service.
  • Water, Sewer & Trash (City of McKinney): Start service at the city's Start/Stop page. While you're there, order your trash and recycle carts. You get one of each included; extras carry a small monthly fee. Trash and recycle pickup is Thursday (have bins out by 7 AM).
  • Internet (AT&T or Spectrum): Check availability for your street. If your block isn't wired yet, a 5G home internet box (Verizon or T-Mobile) is a common stopgap.

See Utilities & City Services for the full details.

Make It Official

  • Driver's license: Update your address through the Texas by Texas (TxT) app right after closing.
  • Homestead exemption: Worth filing once your name is on the deed. Walk through the steps on the Homestead Exemption page.
  • USPS change of address: File the mover's form so your new address shows up across retail and shipping sites.

Do These Before You Move In

These are much harder once the house is full.

  • Pest control. New builds get bugs, especially with active construction nearby. Don't skip this one.
  • Garage epoxy or polyaspartic coating. You need an empty garage and no car traffic for a couple of days while it cures. Do it before the cars move in. See Epoxy Garage Floors.
  • Ceiling fans in the rooms that need them. Far easier without furniture underneath.
  • Window blinds. Many neighbors DIY these from Home Depot.
  • Shelf liners and cabinet knobs/pulls. Simple, just tedious. Better done with empty cabinets.

Comfort & Protection

Settling In

  • Attic storage/flooring. Your attic is bonus storage. A little decking makes it usable.
  • Backup touch-up paint. Walls get scuffed as furniture comes in. Grab matching paint from the Sherwin-Williams store in McKinney.

The paint color code is the same throughout the home, but the sheen varies by room (bedroom walls vs. closet vs. bathroom). Note the sheen for each space before you buy.

  • Caulk around faucets. Water sneaks under the rim and pools in the cabinet below. A bead of clear silicone fixes it.
Welcome home, neighbor. Take it one line at a time, and don't be afraid to ask the community.