Free PDF guide
First 30 Days Homeowner Checklist: What Not to Skip
The locks, shutoffs, and detectors that matter more than furniture in week one, and what skipping them costs.
What's inside
- ✓A week-by-week roadmap — safety and security in week 1, utilities and maintenance setup in weeks 2–3, budget baseline in week 4
- ✓The exact reasons rekeying, garage codes, and shutoff locations matter more than furniture in week one
- ✓A maintenance cadence reference — monthly through every 5–10 years — so nothing gets missed after the calendar's built
3 key takeaways
What should you do before you unpack a single box?
Change every exterior lock and garage code, and locate your water, gas, and electrical shutoffs. Everyone who ever had a key still has one.
What's the one habit that predicts long-term maintenance costs?
Set up a dedicated maintenance savings account in week four — transfer 1% of your home's value divided by 12 each month, automated from day one.
What should you check on your water heater in week one?
Confirm the temperature is set to 120°F — above is a scalding risk, below is a Legionella risk — and check the pressure relief valve isn't corroded.
Other free HomeMath downloads
Electrical & Plumbing Red Flag Guide
What panel type, wiring era, and pipe material actually cost to fix — before you're the one who owns them.
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Attic Inspection Checklist: What $1,500–$10,000 Looks Like
What ventilation, insulation, and roof-deck staining actually cost to fix, before you're the one who owns them.
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Basement & Foundation Red Flag Guide: What $500 Buys You
What a structural engineer costs to tell you if a crack is cosmetic or a $30,000 problem, before you sign.
Get it →