Guides
The parts of buying a home nobody explains.
Written for first-time buyers in Massachusetts and New England. No jargon, real numbers, and a jar to go with each one.
The moving-day checklist for first-time buyers
Everything to book, box and switch over in the four weeks between closing and keys — and what it actually costs.
7 min read · Closing Day Jar
Home warranties: what they cover, what they don't, and whether a first-time buyer needs one
A plain-English look at the $500–900 policy every seller's agent will offer you, and when it is actually worth it.
6 min read · Move-In Jar
Closing costs in Massachusetts, line by line
What the 2–4% actually pays for — attorney, title, prepaids, escrow — and which lines you can shrink.
8 min read · Closing Day Jar
How much down payment do you really need?
3%, 5%, 10% or 20% — what each one costs you monthly, and why 20% is a rule of thumb, not a rule.
6 min read · Down Payment Jar
Using gift money for a down payment: the paper trail lenders want
Who can give, what the gift letter says, and how to move the money so underwriting does not bounce it.
7 min read · First Home Jar
The home inspection: what to expect, what to test, what to walk away from
How to spend the best $600 of the whole purchase, including the add-on tests that matter in New England.
7 min read · First Home Jar
The first-year homeowner budget nobody warns you about
The real cost of year one after the mortgage: repairs, tools, the stuff a rental included, and how to size an emergency cushion.
6 min read · First Home Jar
How to throw a housewarming (and do a registry without it feeling weird)
Timing, guest list, what to serve in a house with no furniture, and the etiquette of asking for help with a home.
5 min read · First Home Jar
Renovation budgeting: where the money actually goes
How to build a reno budget that survives contact with a 1950s house — the 10–20% contingency, the order of operations, and what to DIY.
7 min read · Reno Jar