You’ve been preparing to buy a home for months.

You’ve crunched the numbers, estimated your tax payments, and taken a realistic look at how much house you can afford. You know what you want and you know what’s realistic. You won’t be house poor.

But there are more expenses involved in home buying than just the property costs, Realtor.com says. And those additional payments, if you don’t factor them in, can be big enough to derail your conscientious planning and dream of buying a home.

Here is what will keep your finances in check

Home Buying Costs

You’ve got your mortgage pre-approved, but that’s not all you will need to hand over to get the keys to your new place. Services that need paying are:

• An appraisal to confirm a reasonable market price for the property
• Your buyer’s agent fee
• A real estate attorney to review all contracts
  
• Inspections of structural, mechanical, pest or other potential issues

Depending on when you buy, you may owe the previous owners for property taxes they have already paid. You may also need to pay fees to a local association, such as a condo homeowner’s association. Do your research and find out so you can factor those costs into the equation.

Moving Costs

You may not think so, but moving into a home can include major expenses for packing, storing and transporting your possessions and yourself. If you are moving across the country, the costs could be a huge chunk of change. Even moving across town can cost more than you planned for truck rental, movers and equipment. Make some calls and find out the answers.

Utilities

Setting up your telephone, electricity, gas and water can seem so obvious that it can be easy to overlook—did you budget for these expenses? They could cost more at your new place, especially if you’re moving to a larger home or from a rental.

New things

You may need to purchase appliances or furniture for your new home.

Some items may not be worth the cost of moving and you probably have those laying around. We all do. But if you are sizing up, you face the fun, but possibly financially draining and scary, challenge of filling the new place.

Maintenance and Renovations

Wallpaper peals. Trees fall on roofs. Gutters need cleaning. Plumping needs repairing. Driveways need repair…. A standard rule of thumb is to budget at least 1% of your home’s purchase price each year for home maintenance costs, Realtor.com says.

Maintenance can include things such as painting, replacing roof shingles, fixing or upgrading plumbing and wiring. The amount you will need to pay for maintenance can depend on the age of the home, the previous owners’ upkeep and the climate.