The Home Owner's Diary: What Was Done and When We Did It

I am a REALTOR and I give this book to every person who buys a home from me. I figure the day of closing is the best time to start keeping a record of the home and anything done to it. The only thing I don't like is that the original book I bought is spiral bound (I like that!) and the recent ones I have purchased are not spiral, but no matter, I still buy the book and my clients seem to apprecite them.

I work for a home builder, and a co-worker of mine introduced me to this book as something we could give to our buyers to help them keep up with their homes. After reading through it, I thought "I wish I'd had this book when I bought my home."The contents of this book are very comprehensive. This book can create order and ease of use for all the information that should always be at your fingertips regarding your home/apartment. From paint samples to make, model, and serial numbers on major appliances/furnaces to the insulation in your walls and ceiling, this book's got it all.If anything, this book is too comprehensive. Most people don't have game rooms, steam rooms, and pool houses, but the ability to fill in all the specifications on what you're using in your residence and to include swatches is invaluable.I like the book so much that we're now giving them to our buyers as part of their housewarming gift. We're also providing them with the information that we can, to get them started on keeping records for all items covered by this book.Whatever you do, just don't ever loose the book!

The expanded edition is finally out so you can keep even more important facts about your home on file. If you have an apartment, home, condo, townhouse, rental or even a vacation home, this is a way to keep a comprehensive record of all your important details safely in one place! This is the new expanded edition. Do you remember where your receipts are for repairs? When did you last have the yard sprinkler system checked? Did you remember to tell the pool boy to check the weatherproofing on the pool house roof? The Home Owner's Diary was created to replace that stuffed manila folder or pocket notepad, shoebox stuffed full of records...you know the drill. This will become a very useful tool that will serve you well in the future. When we moved from a townhouse to our first real home, we had no idea how much there was to keep track of. Not getting lost down a hallway, being the first priority, but then I saw the yard and wondered what was I thinking? Then after some investigation, I started finding lots of odd jobs that are going to need to be done. Welcome back to reality, I said and bought another book. A Tax Work Sheet (oh bliss) brightens your life as you start on the first page to write down your purchase price, additions, commissions, remodeling details and renovation notes. Then, as you go screaming and kicking...you will get to list your "Important Personal Papers" and where you keep them. Hopefully in a fire proof safe. There is a page for a small picture of the house and grounds. The page on Finance Information borders on obsessive, but hey...you might need this information one day. The Warranties page is like a dream. Suddenly this book started to make sense to me. You list your purchase date and expiration date of the warranty. So, now that you are all settled in...what's next? Building and remodeling tips are followed by areas to write in information about your House Exterior (siding, trim, storm doors, windows, landscape gardening, side yard, back yard, pond, greenhouse, window boxes, container shrubs, gazebo (hello! I wish). Then you can step indoors and list everything about the floor coverings, ceiling finish, curtains, blinds, wallpaper, ceiling fans, parlor, kitchen, breakfast nook, dining room, wall shelves, furniture, family room, mud room, hallway, stairway (room to put in info about three if you have a mansion), laundry room, bedroom number 1, 2, 3, 4 and then bathrooms. Each area has space to write about everything in the room. If the mood strikes, take pen and paper and sketch the layout of your fuse box. The same can be done with your attic....if you dare to enter it. Miscellaneous Room 1, 2...and then Storage /Closets follows. Thinking of resurfacing your Driveway? There is space to record what type, sealant brand, supplier, contractor, cost and notes. The same type of information can be included under, fence, patio, porch, deck, garage, gutters, roof, siding, trim, toolshed, cooling & heating, firep

If you want to keep records of your home improvements to save you time, money and headaches in the future...this may be a great book to have on hand. If you plan to sell your house sometime in the future, this will be invaluable as you will have records of when you bought the water heater or installed the new carpet, etc....There is space to log in everything from major renovations to smoke detectors. In the 136 pages you will find a place to include information about the interior, exterior, garage, utilities, security systems and more. ~The Rebecca Review