For better or worse, once you sign on the dotted line, the condo is your responsibility. No landlords or superintendents to call when a hard-to-reach light bulb goes out. Most new-construction homes come with a one-year warranty for building-related issues — if, for instance, the lock on your back door falls right off or you get mold from a poorly ventilated bathroom (both of which happened to us). That way, you aren't completely on the hook for every issue that bubbles up.
It's also a smart idea to organize documents for all your appliances, fill out warranties, and get an idea of what is included in coverage – before a need arises. Our developer maintained our building warranty didn't cover the fact that I wasn't getting any hot water in my gorgeous, marble-tiled shower, so I had to scramble to go straight to the source on that one. And, now that the year-long window of coverage is up, our home is officially ours . . . and ours alone.
