One of the things that surprised me when we moved from a rental apartment to our own house was the amount of maintenance needed to keep up with our big investment. While it was kind to us in the first, cash-strapped year that we owned it, after that our house developed problems with pipes, the furnace, lights, dead appliances—everything that makes a first-time home-owner wish for the good old days of renting.

The biggest realization for me was that we had to take a proactive stance and go looking for trouble before it surprised us with inconvenience and a large bill. Inspecting the house every spring and fall, I’d notice small flaws: trees that needed trimming, little drips, and cracks. Timely repairs of little things saved lots of money. And when my first child was born, I became more aware that safety, as well as upkeep, requires a similar “do it before it goes bad” mind-set. After 25 years of home ownership, I’m convinced that a little prevention is worth a ton of cure. Part 5 will help you apply this strategy, too.