[reno911]

Lots of good reading here thanks.

I know only enough to stay sane my wife is the number person.

We went with an FHA loan so a lot is included in the mortgage. Only a few exterior payments will be necessary. That and we can save more of our cash, since an extra thousand or two on a loan equates to little added to your monthly.

We financed for roughly 1/4 our monthly income, and that is a total finance which includes the HOA and utilities on the very moderate side. We would rather overshoot our finance goals than undershoot, always safe to give it a little jiggle room.

I am in between on the owning vs renting, both have their benefits and their disadvantages.

My main goal in this was to get something with everything needed to be comfortable. Things that the wife and I have never had. Gas furnace, hot water recycler, garage, huge tub with jets, etc etc. To get some of these features with a rental in good condition is scarce, or twice the amount you can be paying on a mortgage.

Jerry, I appreciate the advice and trust me I will be following those even if you had said nothing.

Brian, the good thing about buying now, is everything is set at that low price tag and value, so as things progress, hopefully in a better direction, the value can go back up as well as my sell price.

Seriously though, no one with dark furniture?

Oh and Jerry, seeing as your in the East, know of any good place to get lacquer furniture?