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First-Time Buyers

Expenses First-Time Home Buyers Need to Save For

Beyond the down payment - what other costs to plan for before you buy.

5 minute read · last reviewed 2026-05-18

Before closing

Earnest money (commonly 1-3% of the price, credited back to you at closing), the home inspection, and the appraisal are all paid during the contract period. Inspections and appraisals vary by market and property, and both are usually a few hundred dollars each. Neither is optional if you want to buy safely.

At closing

Closing costs generally run about 2-4% of the purchase price: lender fees, title insurance, escrow, recording, plus prepaid property taxes and a year of homeowners insurance. Your Loan Estimate itemizes all of it within three business days of applying.

The move itself

Movers or a truck rental, utility deposits and transfers, new locks, and the immediate-need items every first home demands: a lawnmower, a ladder, and the curtain rods nobody remembers. A transition budget of $2,000-$5,000 is realistic for most moves.

After you own it

The expense that separates comfortable owners from stressed ones is the maintenance reserve. A common planning figure is 1-2% of the home value per year. A water heater fails on a Saturday. Owners with a reserve call a plumber; owners without one call a credit card.

Put your own numbers into /mortgage-calculator/purchase/ so the taxes and insurance escrow show up alongside principal and interest rather than as a surprise later.

This guide is general information published on a demonstration site by a company that does not exist. It is not advice about your situation, and it is not an offer of credit. For neutral, authoritative guidance see the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov.