<prompt> Human: Hello, long time lurker but first time posting to pf. My spouse and I were married in November and are looking into purchasing our first house. After sharing an apartment for six years were more than ready to get out of complexes and have our own space. After a personal injury suit was wrapped up I came out with 90k that was used to pay off my vehicle, some outstanding medical expenses, and both of our credit card debts, leaving us with 74k in savings. Our combined annual income is 50k take home and our current renting situation is a 2b2br apartment 1,035m utilities on average about 90month here in SW Florida and are looking for a similar or slightly bigger 3b2br home. I have a pretty good credit history FICO Score 768 while my spouse has a score of 680. Ive just got a few questions as were taking these first steps. How much money should we put down on the home when we find it? Ive read 20 being the magic number to avoid mortgage insurance, but considering the cash we have in savings should we consider putting down more? Will her lower credit score adversely effect our attempts to get a mortgage? What are some costs we, as first time home buyers, should consider factoring in that we wouldnt know about due to our switch from renting to owning? And finally, how much of this should just be held off until weve been pre-approved for a mortgage amount and have more information to work off of? Any information or advice would be very much appreciated! Cheers!  <response>: A 20 down payment is a good idea. Keep in mind that youll spend some additional money on closing costs, moving, and any repairs, painting, or improvements to your new house you plan to make right away. Additionally, you should make sure not to deplete your emergency fund. How much are the 3b2br houses in your area? Have you given any thought to whether you want to buy a house you can afford on just one persons pay? 