Prologue : Here we go -- Part 1 : Finding and
... buying your home -- 1. House hunting -- What do you want and need from a house?. What do you have now? ; Dealbreakers ; Life factors ; Future plans ; Safety ; Location -- Assembling a team. Realtor ; Mortgage broker ; Home inspector ; Insurance agent ; Appraiser ; Title company ; You -- Types of houses. Condominium ; Townhouses and row houses ; Duplex ; Victorian ; Tudor revival ; Mediterranean revival ; Prairie and American foursquare ; Colonial revival ; Bungalow ; Cape Cod ; Ranch ; Split-level ; Modern farmhouse ; Cabins ; Prefabricated homes ; Alternative housing -- Knowing hat to look for. Weather events and natural disasters ; Slope and grading ; Septic tanks and wells ; Foundation issues ; Roof and attic ; Garage ; Sings of water damage ; Windows ; Year built ; Component age ; Neighborhood ; Homeowners association (HOA) ; Summary -- What do you pay for? -- 2. Closing the deal -- Closing time. A quick guide to what it looks like to buy a home ; Qualities of a good realtor ; What is equity? -- 3. Moving in -- Let's get moving. Locating shutoff valves ; Mapping circuits ; The moving process ; Getting your deposit back ; Setting up your garage -- 4. Tools to know -- Tools and things to know. Maintenance and emergency kit ; Stud finders and magnets ; Wet/dry vacuum ; Ladder ; Power tool set ; Yard tools : lawn mower ; Yard tools : winter ; Tool libraries and rentals -- 5. Contractors and codes -- Choosing a contractor. Why use contractors? ; Where to find a contractor ; How to make a decision ; Best practices for working with contractors ; When things go wrong with contractors -- Part 2 : Owning and maintaining your home -- 6. New house checklist -- Your first year of homeownership. Checklist for your first year of homeownership ; Ongoing home maintenance schedules -- Why did they do that? -- 7. Outside -- Outside the house. Maintaining a grass lawn ; Caring for trees ; Gutters ; Rain barrels and water collection ; Decks ; Driveway maintenance ; Pressure washer ; Garage door opener troubleshooting ; Solar lighting ; Outdoor outlets -- 8. Structural elements -- Structure of the house. Foundation ; Flooring and subflooring ; Walls ; Roof -- 9. Electrical -- Electrical basics. Fundamentals ; Electrical safety ; Replacing outlet covers ; Testing a GFCI outlet ; Installing a GFCI outlet ; Replacing hardwired detectors ; Replacing a blown fuse ; Replacing a light fixture ; Installing a light fixture ; Installing a ceiling fan ; Adding an outlet to a finished wall -- 10. Plumbing -- The plumbing system. Clearing a clogged drain ; Leaks ; Shutoff valves ; Sink ; Replacing a garbage disposal ; Toilets -- 11. Utilities -- All about utilities. Owner's manuals ; Water heater ; Water softener ; HVAC ; Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors ; Boilers and radiators -- 12. Weatherization, safety, and tips for older homes -- Weatherization and safety. Snow removal ; Ice melt ; Storm doors and windows ; Tornado shelter ; Disaster preparedness ; Pet and baby proofing -- Tips for older homes. Cleaning household hardware -- Part 3 : One year later -- Retrospective. What I wish I knew before I started all of this ; Resources and further reading. Read More
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