Buying your first home is a right of passage. Like all rites of passage, there is also a bunch of hidden stuff that no one who has been through said rite will ever bother to mention to you – at least, until now. Below are three secrets that all first-time homeowners really ought to know before they move into their shiny new properties.

Problems Come in Batches

One secret that experienced homeowners understand is that there’s no such thing as a simple problem. If you can identify a specific problem in your house by sight, congratulations – other stuff has started to go wrong as well. There’s probably a lot to say here about the various complex systems in a home and how one point of failure can actually wreak havoc on multiple areas of your home, but the truth is that there’s probably some kind of dark connection between your bank account and exactly how much repair work needs to be done in your home.

Triage is a Vital Skill

If you’ve ever been to an emergency room, you’ve dealt with triage. A nurse takes you back for a minute to figure out what’s wrong with you and how vital it is that you are seen now. As a homeowner, you’re going to be that nurse and your home is your patient. You’ll need to learn how to diagnose your problems and figure out if they need to be fixed now or if you can wait. Sometimes, this means figuring out if you can get by with refrigerator replacement parts or if you need a new fridge, while other times it might mean the difference between refrigerator replacement parts or a new roof. You’ll get good at figuring out what needs to be done and in what order fairly quickly.

You Don’t Have to Do it All at Once

You probably went into your new home with a huge list of things you wanted to do. You figure it’s time to replace that kitchen, put in a fence, maybe knock out the walls – you know, basic stuff. If you’ve been in the game for a bit, though, you know that you don’t have to do it all at once. Don’t go broke trying to make all the changes to your house the day you move in – instead, spend some time figuring out what really needs to be done now and what you can put off until life is a little less hectic. As a bonus, waiting to do some of those jobs means that you’ll have a much better chance to get them done the right way.

Some of the most important lessons you’ll get from owning a home can really only be learned after you move in. Now that you are your own landlord and you’re really responsible for the house, the really exciting stuff is going to begin. Enjoy your newfound freedom and all the responsibilities that come with it – life is never going to be the same.