Direct answer: Budget roughly down payment + 2–5% of the
price in closing costs + $2,000–$5,000 in move-in costs + a 3–6 month emergency
fund. On a $350,000 home with 5% down, that's about $17,500 down,
$10,500 closing, and several thousand in first-month realities — call it
$32,000 of cash before the cushion.
At closing (the wired money)
- Down payment — see how much you really need.
- Lender fees — origination/underwriting, typically 0.5–1%.
- Third-party fees — appraisal ($500–$800), title search & insurance ($1,500–$3,500), recording, attorney where required.
- Transfer taxes — $0 in some states, 1–4% in others; our state pages note each state's rule.
- Prepaids & escrow seed — first year of homeowners insurance, several months of property tax, and prepaid interest to month-end. Often the surprise line: $2,500–$6,000.
Before closing (out of pocket, refundable never)
- Inspections — general ($350–$600) plus radon/sewer/pest where relevant. Never skip to "win" a bid without pricing the risk you're absorbing.
- Earnest money — 1–3% deposited at offer; credited at closing, lost if you walk outside your contingencies.
The first 90 days (everyone forgets these)
- Moving — $500 DIY to $3,000+ interstate.
- Immediate fixes & keys-day spending — locks, blinds, a mower, the appliance the seller took: $1,000–$4,000 typical.
- Utility deposits and setup, plus the first oversized utility bills of a larger space.
- The maintenance reality — plan ~1% of home value per year from day one; the water heater does not care that you just closed.
The order of operations that keeps you safe
1) Set your price ceiling from the 28/36 math, not from your pre-approval letter. 2) Verify the full monthly cost — taxes, insurance, PMI — in the mortgage calculator (state pages preload local figures). 3) Stack the cash checklist above and confirm the emergency fund survives closing. 4) Ask about first-time programs: state HFA grants, forgivable seconds, and lender credits are real money (see lender credits). A first home bought with a cushion intact is a joy; the same home bought cash-dry is a stress machine — the difference is one checklist.