Homeowner Money – First House Fixes

Home Warranty, Two Years Later: Still No, and Who I'd Tell Yes

Posted on September 22, 2026In Homeowner Money

We skipped the renewal in 2025, then the water heater died. Fresh quotes from three warranty companies and who I think a plan really suits.

Posted on August 30, 2026In Homeowner Money

A year after escrow raised our payment by $271, PMI is gone and the shortage is paid off. Our new payment is $1,929. How the numbers shook out.

Posted on July 2, 2026In Homeowner Money

Our premium went from $1,148 to $1,259 at renewal. Our agent re-shopped it, nothing beat it by enough, and here's how we decided to stay.

Posted on June 7, 2026In Homeowner Money

Our servicer wanted a new appraisal and at least 25 percent equity. A $575 appraisal came in at $292,000, and $96 a month came off our payment.

Posted on May 3, 2026In Homeowner Money

Every job goes in the house sheet: quote, materials, tools, hours and risk. How we decide what I do and what we pay someone else to do.

Posted on March 28, 2026In Homeowner Money

On a Saturday night in March, Moose swallowed half a rope toy. The emergency vet visit, the bill and how our emergency fund held up.

Posted on March 10, 2026In Homeowner Money

Our assessment notice put the house at $279,200. We pulled comparable sales before the March Board of Review and decided not to appeal.

Posted on January 4, 2026In Homeowner Money

Mortgage, escrow, utilities, repairs and projects: our full 2025 house spending from the spreadsheet, and the three numbers that surprised us.

Posted on October 30, 2025In Homeowner Money

The house was in both our names before the wedding, but plenty else wasn't. The money paperwork we sorted out in our first month married.

Posted on August 7, 2025In Homeowner Money

Michigan property taxes uncap after a sale, and nobody told us what that does to escrow until the letter came. Our numbers, line by line.