Buying Your First | House Checklist

The rain drummed a steady rhythm against the window of Maya’s cramped, third-floor walk-up—the kind of apartment where the radiator clanked like a ghost in the walls. She clicked "Save" on her spreadsheet, her eyes blurring from hours of scrolling through Zillow.

She opened a fresh page in her notebook and titled it: Chapter 1: The Foundation (Preparation) buying your first house checklist

An hour before closing, she checked that the seller hadn't taken the fridge or left a giant hole in the wall. The rain drummed a steady rhythm against the