felecia187 a lot of people who buy there first home do not take the over cost which is above the mortgage payments , one of the easiest is the property tax now here in the town i live in you pay the highest property tax in Alberta Canada so why would you buy a house here when just 8 minutes away you get less in taxes and more bang for your buck , so before you buy make sure you look at the tax bill first don't pay the government any more then you have to the town i live in there property tax is three times more then 8 minutes away so find the least about to pay before you pay enjoy