Congratulations!  The best advice I can give you is to hold on to every dollar you can between now and your closing.  There are a million little fees and expenses that will pop up.  Radon testing, surveying, appliance purchase/repair, etc.  Even buying things like floor mats and other minor household items will add up quickly.  I created a handy spreadsheet that calculated things like PMI, non-residency taxes (your first year will likely be more expensive than normal), and various inspection fees, but I was still blindsided by the insane number of "little things" that quickly racked up.

I don't have any specific home improvement books that I've used, but I've turned to the Internet time and time again for plumbing, electrical, carpentry, and million other DIY tasks.  So far I've been successful in everything I've set out to do myself.  Most tasks are quite a bit easier than you'd imagine, and if your house is anywhere near as old as mine you'll quickly become quite adept at basic DIY handiwork.


-b0b
(...Vila.)

That's, Wes.

And thanks, Bob, for the info.  I think we've got everything all lined up for the fees and little stuff.  The house was built in 2000 and the only big thing we'll need is a washer/dryer and that's more of a want than a need and I think we'll get the cash for it at the closing.

Can't wait to have you all over if you can make it soon.  The basement has enough room for a LAN and it's got sound proofing on the walls which makes it a great place for an awesome entertainment area.

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