[cercis]

The thing to watch with an FHA loan is (well two things) 1) many sellers won't sell to FHA because they are more strict with their lending policies and the inspection and 2) often you cannot get PMI waved until you have paid down to 78% of value (this might have changed since I had my FHA loan, though).

Jodi, in Texas it is the buyers responsibility to pay for the survey. I thought that was extremely strange and I checked to be sure, but everyone I spoke with (including the attorney) said it was. Now, when we go to sell the house, provided it is within the next 15 years, our survey will be fine and it could be a negotiation tool.

Also, we do have hurricanes, floods and mold. Lots of mold issues. As a matter of fact, at least one major company (Farmers?) won't write any new policies down here because they've lost too much money on mold claims. So, that's why my insurance is so high. I didn't get mold insurance, though, as it would cost $300/year more and only cover up to $500 in damage - the chances of us having a mold claim in the first year and a half was a gamble I was willing to take.

I forgot to mention on the home insurance - make sure you call all the major companies and some independent companies. We're getting insurance through an Allstate company (which is highly rated) for a lot less than we were quoted through an actual Allstate office, just because I called an independent agency. I found them through our mortgage broker, she sees lots of bids and said they seem to come in with some great bids.