Home ownership may mean learning how to do repairs yourself. It may mean finding reliable contractors. It may mean calling your brother-in-law, the handyman, to come help you in exchange for a barbecue dinner. Buildings and yards require maintenance, so you are going to have a little bit different attitude. When something needs to be repaired, you cannot just call your landlord any more.
Maintenance should be done on a regular basis. Things that need to be replaced should be put into your schedule: such as, clean the rain gutters; replace leaky water faucets and toilets; check, repair, and replace the roof; replace the hot water heater, replace worn-out light fixtures; put in new appliances; clean vents and heating ducts; and check water pressure.
Most repairs can be avoided simply by doing preventive maintenance. Otherwise, repairs will be needed, and your small leak could suddenly turn into a flooded bathroom.
Read more in our book, "Buy Your First Home", http://tinyurl.com/dy2wjx4.
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