Week 1: the must-dos
The first week is for safety, utilities and anything urgent. Las Vegas has a few quirks that people moving from other states often learn about too late, so handle these before you unpack the last box.
Start your utilities right away: NV Energy for electricity, Southwest Gas and your local water provider. Southwest Gas needs a technician visit in person, so book it seven or more days out. Without power for the AC, summer heat can make a home dangerously hot.
Schedule pest control in the first two weeks. Moving stirs up the local pests, from scorpions and black widows to cockroaches and ants, and the first treatment works best while baseboards and entry points are still easy to reach.
Week 2: security and the home's condition
At a new address nobody knows your routines yet. A doorbell camera plus two or three exterior cameras is a simple weekend project, or a job for a local installer.
Have the HVAC system inspected. The air conditioner is the hardest-working appliance in a desert home, so before your first full summer have a licensed technician check the filters, refrigerant, coils and thermostat calibration.
Weeks 3 and 4: yard, HOA and services
Las Vegas has one of the highest rates of HOA membership in the country. Read your CC&Rs: they cover plantings, paint colors, parking, short-term rental limits and more. Your HOA manager can answer what the documents don't.
Expect desert plants, rock or artificial turf in the yard. Set the irrigation timer to the SNWA watering schedule, which changes by season, or hand the yard to a desert landscaper.
If the home has a pool, start weekly service immediately. Heat speeds up chemical loss and algae growth, and an unserviced pool can turn green within 10 to 14 days in summer.
Your first month at a glance
- 01Rekey or replace every exterior lock
- 02Start NV Energy, Southwest Gas and water service
- 03Book the first pest control treatment
- 04Add a doorbell camera and exterior cameras
- 05Have a licensed technician tune up the AC
- 06Read the CC&Rs and save your HOA manager's contact
- 07Set irrigation to the SNWA seasonal schedule
- 08Start weekly pool service if you have a pool
