Homeownership
Practical, Utah-specific education for people who already own — maintenance calendars, first-year planning, insurance, taxes, and long-term equity strategy.
Utah homeowners need two separate reserves: an emergency fund of three to six months of total living expenses, and a home repair reserve of roughly one percent of the home's value each year. This guide sizes both against real Utah conditions — variable self-employment income, hard water and short water-heater life, freeze-thaw roof wear, and escrow analyses that change a fixed-rate payment — and explains how documented reserves also strengthen a mortgage file.
Year one of Utah homeownership is the most expensive and most surprising year. This guide sequences the property-tax exemption, escrow analysis, seasonal maintenance, insurance renewals, and the reserve you actually need — with real Utah numbers and a worked Lehi example.