The first year of homeownership has a learning curve. Some things you'll figure out the hard way. Others, if someone had just told you upfront, you'd have saved real money and real stress.
Here are the 15 things worth knowing in year one.
Before anything else
1. Read your inspection report — all of it.
Most buyers skim the inspection report to find deal-breakers and never look at it again after closing. That report is a roadmap of your home's current condition. The items listed under "monitor" and "recommend repair" tell you where to focus attention and budget in the first 12–24 months.
2. Locate and document all shut-offs.
Where is your main water shut-off? Your gas shut-off? Your electrical panel? The individual shut-off valves under each sink and toilet? In an emergency, you need to find these in the dark, under stress. Walk every inch of your home and label them. Take photos. Keep a note in your phone.
3. Change the locks.
You don't know how many copies of the previous owner's keys are floating around — contractors, neighbors, family members. Rekeying a house runs $150–$200 and takes a locksmith 30 minutes. Do it before you move in.
4. Find your main water shut-off and actually test it.
It's not enough to locate it — test it. Turn it off, confirm the water stops, turn it back on. Old shut-off valves sometimes seize. Better to find out now than during an emergency.
In the first month
5. Create a home folder.
Create a Google Drive folder for your home's address. Drop in: the inspection report, the survey, the deed, appliance manuals, warranty documents, utility account numbers, and any contractor invoices from the previous owner. Future you will be grateful.
6. Test every outlet, switch, light, and fixture.
Do a systematic walkthrough with a phone charger to test outlets and confirm every switch corresponds to what you think it does. Labeling your electrical panel is part of this.
7. Replace all batteries in detectors and check the dates.
Fresh batteries in all smoke detectors and CO detectors. Any detector over 10 years old should be replaced entirely — the sensors degrade.
8. Start a maintenance schedule.
The first month is when good habits form. Set a recurring calendar reminder for the first Sunday of every month — your monthly maintenance round. HVAC filter check, quick walk-around, under-sink inspection. It takes 30–45 minutes. Building the habit now pays off for as long as you own the house.
In the first six months
9. Get a baseline service on every major system.
HVAC tune-up, water heater flush, fireplace/chimney inspection if applicable. Even if you were told systems were recently serviced, get your own confirmation from a technician you hired.
10. Introduce yourself to your neighbors.
Neighbors are often your best source of local contractor recommendations, and they'll tell you things about your property's history that no disclosure form would cover.
11. Understand your HOA rules if you have one.
Read the CC&Rs. Know what requires approval. Know the fee schedule and what's covered. Violations and special assessments are nasty surprises; knowing the rules upfront prevents them.
12. Audit your utility setup.
Make sure all utilities are in your name. Check for any equipment on the property (water softeners, propane tanks, water filtration systems) and understand if they're owned, leased, or under a service contract.
In the first year
13. Complete at least one seasonal cycle of maintenance.
Go through fall prep, spring inspection, and summer exterior work with intention. The first time through, you'll identify what your specific home needs. By year two, it becomes routine.
14. Build a list of vetted contractors.
You will need an HVAC company, a plumber, and an electrician — and you want to find them before you need them urgently. A $120 non-emergency HVAC tune-up is how you meet a good HVAC company before your furnace fails in January.
15. Start a home maintenance budget.
Separate from your emergency fund, specifically for home maintenance. Use the 1–2% of home value rule as a starting point. Automate monthly contributions.
A personalized home maintenance checklist is one of the best tools for building good homeowner habits. Connie generates one for your specific home — age, type, and climate — in under 60 seconds. Free to preview, $14.99 to unlock.
Also read: the first-time homeowner's complete maintenance checklist and how to budget for home maintenance.