Just Bought a House? Get the First-Year Home Checklist.
A free Chrome extension for new homeowners. 28 essential first-year tasks organized by season, a traffic-light status system, and seasonal reminders so nothing gets missed.
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🔒 Privacy first·No account required·Nothing leaves your browser
The popup that tracks your first year
28
First-year tasks
4
Seasons covered
$0
Ever. No trial.
2
Free extensions
0
Data collected
✓ Manifest V3✓ Zero remote code✓ Chrome Web Store approved✓ Zero tracking✓ Works offline
How it works
Three steps. Two minutes.
Install once. It sits quietly in your toolbar all year, organized by season, with nothing to configure and nothing to remember.
1
Add to Chrome
Click the button above to install the extension from the Chrome Web Store. It takes about 15 seconds and asks for the minimum permission needed: local storage, to save your task progress on your device.
2
Click the toolbar icon anytime
Open the popup to see your 28 tasks organized into Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter tabs, with a progress counter at the top so you always know where you stand.
3
Check off tasks as you go
Green means done, yellow means priority, red means skip. Get a native Chrome notification when the season changes, so gutter cleaning and winterizing never sneak up on you.
What you get
Everything the first year throws at you. Organized.
28 tasks split across four seasons. Not overwhelming, not padded. Just the ones that prevent expensive year-one surprises.
Organized across Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Not overwhelming. Not padded. Just the ones that prevent expensive year-one surprises.
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Traffic-light status
Green ✓ done, yellow ! priority, red ✗ skip. One click per task. Progress bar at the top tracks your completion count across all seasons.
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Seasonal reminders
Native Chrome notifications when the season changes. No email required. No app to check. The extension nudges you when winterizing, gutter cleaning, and HVAC service actually matter.
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100% private
Everything stays on your device. No account, no login, no cloud sync, no tracking. Uninstall the extension and every trace is gone.
Not another to-do app. Built for exactly one year.
This is not a generic task manager. It answers one question: what does a new homeowner actually need to do, and when.
Built from the 47-mistake catalog
Every task maps directly to the HomePlaybook 47-mistake catalog, the same research behind HomePlaybook Mastery. Nothing generic, nothing padded, nothing borrowed from a general home-organization template.
Reminders without another app
Native Chrome notifications when the season changes. No email required, no separate app to check, no login. It just shows up in your toolbar when it matters.
Privacy first is not a slogan
All 28 tasks and your progress live in your browser's local storage. No account, no login, no cloud sync, no tracking pixel inside the extension. Uninstall it and every trace is gone.
Honest about what it isn't
This is a task tracker, not a contractor and not a home inspector. It tells you when gutter cleaning, HVAC service or winterizing are due. You still need to hire the right licensed pro to actually do the work.
Ready to stop guessing what's next?
Free forever. Installs in two clicks. Works quietly in your toolbar all year.
A second free extension for the shopping stage. On every Zillow listing it shows the first-year maintenance forecast, age-based risks and true monthly cost that Zillow does not.
⚡
Install it, then open any Zillow listing
Add the extension, visit Zillow.com, and click into any home. The panel appears in the top-right corner within 2 seconds. No setup, no configuration, nothing to click first.
Zillow shows $3,964/mo. The real cost is $9,189. Every number is cited: Federal Reserve for mortgage, Insurance Information Institute for insurance, HomePlaybook's 47-mistake catalog for maintenance.
📊
First-year maintenance forecast
Based on the home's age, size, and condition signals in the listing.
Scans the description for language like "as-is" or "fixer-upper," and for positive signals like a recent roof.
Every number cites its source
The mortgage rate cites the Federal Reserve. Insurance cites the Insurance Information Institute. Maintenance reserve cites the HomePlaybook 47-mistake catalog. Nothing is invented, everything is checkable. This is an educational estimate, not a substitute for a licensed home inspection.
Yes, you can install both. Real Home Cost runs on Zillow listings. First-Year Checklist runs as a separate task tracker. They do not conflict.
Common questions
Frequently asked
What is the difference between the two HomePlaybook Chrome extensions?
They serve different stages of the homeowner journey. First-Year Home Checklist is for people who have already bought a home. It tracks the essential first-year maintenance tasks with a traffic-light status system and sends seasonal reminder notifications. Real Home Cost (Homebuyer Lens for Zillow) is for people still shopping. It runs on Zillow listings and shows the true cost of any specific house before you buy. Many homeowners use both: Buyer Lens while shopping, then First-Year Checklist after they close.
Can I install both HomePlaybook Chrome extensions?
Yes. Both are completely free, both are privacy-first, and they do not conflict. First-Year Home Checklist runs as a separate task tracker with its own popup. Real Home Cost only runs on Zillow listing pages. Installing both gives you the full HomePlaybook Chrome experience: tracking after you buy, analysis while shopping. See the First-Year Home Checklist privacy notice and the Buyer Lens privacy notice for details on each.
Does the First-Year Home Checklist work if I never use Buyer Lens?
Yes. They are completely separate extensions. First-Year Home Checklist works entirely on its own as a toolbar popup. You do not need to shop on Zillow, install Buyer Lens, or use any other HomePlaybook product for it to work.
What happens to the checklist after my first year is done?
The extension keeps working. Nothing expires and nothing gets deleted. Many homeowners keep it installed as a reference for what they already completed, or reset their progress to track year two using the same 28-task, four-season framework.
Is the First-Year Home Checklist really free?
Yes. The extension is 100% free, with no account required, no login, no free trial that expires, and no paid tier. HomePlaybook publishes it as a free companion to our paid HomePlaybook Mastery guide ($44), but the extension itself never charges you.
What data does the Chrome extension collect?
None. Your task progress is stored entirely in your browser's local storage and never uploaded anywhere. There is no account, no login, and no tracking inside the extension. The only data transmission on this page is if you voluntarily submit your email for the free $5K Mistake Checklist. See the full privacy policy for the extension.
How do the seasonal reminders work?
The extension uses Chrome's native notification system. When the season changes, it sends a notification nudging you toward that season's tasks. No email required, no separate app to check, and nothing leaves your device to make it happen.
Is the Real Home Cost Chrome extension really free?
Yes. Same as the checklist extension: 100% free, no account, no login, no trial, no paid tier. It is a free companion to the paid HomePlaybook Mastery guide, but never charges you itself.
Does the Buyer Lens extension work on Redfin or Realtor.com?
Not yet. Version 1.1 supports Zillow listing pages only. Redfin and Realtor.com support is on the roadmap. If you want to be notified when it launches, get the free $5K Mistake Checklist and we'll email you.
Is either extension affiliated with Zillow?
No. HomePlaybook is an independent tool built by Leo Brooks. Neither extension is affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by or approved by Zillow Group, Inc. Zillow®, Zillow.com® and Zestimate® are registered trademarks of Zillow Group, Inc., referenced only for interoperability. See our full trademark notices.
How accurate is the Buyer Lens first-year maintenance forecast?
The forecast is a 2026 US national average, adjusted for the home's age, size and any red flags or positive signals in the listing. Actual costs vary significantly by region and specific property condition. The forecast is a starting point for your inspection budget, not a substitute for a licensed home inspection. Always get a professional inspection before making any offer.
Does either extension replace a home inspection or a contractor?
No. Both extensions are educational tools. First-Year Home Checklist tells you when maintenance tasks are due; it does not perform the work. Real Home Cost provides estimates based on public listing data and national averages; it is not a substitute for a professional home inspection, appraisal, mortgage quote, insurance quote or legal advice. Before making any offer, hiring a contractor, or making a buying decision, engage the relevant licensed professional.
What browsers do the extensions support?
Google Chrome primarily, plus any Chromium-based browser that supports Chrome Web Store extensions: Microsoft Edge, Brave, Opera, Vivaldi and Arc. Safari and Firefox are not supported. Both extensions use Manifest V3, Chrome's current extension standard.
Stop guessing. Start knowing.
Two clicks to install. Then your toolbar quietly tracks your first year, season by season, no signup, no cost, no data leaving your browser.
The First-Year Home Checklist and Real Home Cost Chrome extensions provide guidance and estimates for educational purposes only. They are not a substitute for a professional home inspection, appraisal, contractor, legal advice or financial advice. All figures are based on 2026 US national averages and vary significantly by region and specific property. Age-based risks are statistical patterns for the era, not verified findings for any specific home.
HomePlaybook is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by or approved by Zillow Group, Inc. Zillow®, Zillow.com® and Zestimate® are registered trademarks of Zillow Group, Inc. Chrome™ is a trademark of Google LLC. See our full trademark notices and terms of service.
