Handle your first property tax bill
Most property tax bills arrive 60-90 days after closing. Understand how your escrow handles it, verify the assessed value matches reality, and catch assessment errors early.
Read moreFile for homestead exemption
Nearly every state offers a tax break for primary residences, saving $500-2,000+ annually. Deadlines are strict (often April 1) and one-time filings, missing yours costs thousands.
Read morePlan for PMI removal
If you put less than 20% down, you're paying private mortgage insurance. Track your loan balance, once it drops to 80% of original value, request removal and save $100-300/month.
Read moreReview your mortgage and escrow statement
Escrow accounts over- or under-collect every year. Review your annual escrow analysis, verify tax and insurance amounts, and catch errors that silently increase your payment.
Read moreComplete your first spring maintenance cycle
Walk through all 18 spring maintenance tasks your first spring. This establishes your routine and reveals what your specific home needs each March-May.
Read moreComplete your first summer maintenance cycle
Walk through all 20 summer maintenance tasks. Summer reveals AC efficiency, deck/exterior condition, and storm readiness unique to your home.
Read moreComplete your first fall maintenance cycle
Fall is the most critical maintenance season. Your first fall establishes winterization baseline, heating performance, and gutter/drainage behavior.
Read moreComplete your first winter monitoring cycle
First winter teaches you how your specific home handles cold: frozen pipe risk spots, ice dam tendency, draft locations, heating cost. Document it all.
Read moreSchedule your first annual roof inspection
After a full weather cycle, have a licensed roofer inspect the roof. This establishes condition baseline for insurance claims and identifies deferred maintenance from previous owners.
Read moreComplete both HVAC services
Spring AC tune-up and fall heating tune-up, both with the same contractor. Year-one service reveals system age, remaining life, and any warranty-eligible repairs.
Read moreSchedule chimney and fireplace inspection
If your home has any fireplace, chimney, or wood stove, the NFPA requires annual inspection. Creosote buildup causes chimney fires, plan before first use of the season.
Read moreSchedule annual termite/pest inspection
Termite damage is excluded from most homeowner insurance. An annual inspection ($50-150) catches colonies before structural damage, much cheaper than $5,000-10,000 repairs.
Read moreTrack actual utility costs vs estimates
After 12 months of real bills, compare to the pre-purchase estimates. Adjust your maintenance fund, identify efficiency upgrade opportunities, and budget accurately for year 2.
Read moreDocument home quirks and learnings
Which breakers trip when the microwave runs? Which window leaks in heavy rain? Which drain gurgles? Add these to your home binder, pass to future owners or contractors.
Read moreUpdate your home inventory for insurance
After a year of furniture, appliance, and improvement purchases, update your home inventory. Add receipts to insurance documentation, critical for claim accuracy.
Read moreReview your homeowner's insurance coverage
Home values change, rebuild costs rise, and life events happen. Annual policy review catches undercoverage before it matters. Get comparison quotes every 2-3 years.
Read morePlan year 2 home improvements
Year one reveals what actually needs attention. Prioritize improvements by ROI, urgency, and disruption. Don't spread the budget thin, one well-chosen project beats three half-done ones.
Read moreDecide: refinance, HELOC, upgrade, or stay
After 12 months, your home has equity and you have data. Consider refinancing (if rates dropped), a HELOC (for projects), major upgrades, or staying the course. Make this decision annually.
Read moreNew homeowner timeline
Stage 1
Before Move-In
Closing to move day
Stage 2
First Week
Days 1-7 setup
Stage 3
First Month
Systems baseline
Stage 4 · Current
First Year
18 tasks · 12 months