First-Time Homeowner's 101 Handbook: The Triage-Style Guide to Home Safety, Maintenance & Repair Budgeting — With Checklists, Worksheets, and a Week-by-Week Timeline

You just bought a home. Now what?

No landlord, no maintenance line in your rent, and a growing list of systems you're suddenly responsible for — the furnace, the breaker panel, the gutters, the water heater humming in the basement. Most home-maintenance books read like encyclopedias. This one reads like a triage chart.

First-Time Homeowner's 101 Handbook organizes everything a new homeowner needs to know by urgency, not alphabet. Every task is tagged DAY 1, WEEK 1, MONTH 1, or ONGOING, so you always know what needs your attention right now — and what can safely wait.

Inside, you'll find:

• A Day 1 safety check covering smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, and utility shutoffs
• Plain-English plumbing and electrical basics — what's a five-minute fix and what needs a licensed pro
• A full seasonal maintenance calendar for HVAC, gutters, and exterior upkeep
• A repair budgeting framework, including the 1–4% rule and a major-systems lifespan table
• A clear DIY vs. call-a-pro decision framework, a beginner tool kit checklist, and a guide to vetting contractors
• A printable Home Inventory Worksheet for insurance and warranty records
• A consolidated Master Timeline covering your first week, first month, and first year
• An Emergency Contacts & Shutoff Quick Reference sheet designed to be taped inside a cabinet door

Whether you're triaging your first weekend in the house or building the habits that protect your investment for years, this handbook gives you exactly what to do next — and just as importantly, when to stop and call someone who does this for a living.