Costing out options

A house does not cost just what you put into the down payment,
and we started to experience the sticker shock of home ownership
last night. Karen wants to replace the kitchen countertop (she does
not at all like the color), but finding a good top for the space that
exists in the kitchen will probably cost at least $10,000. That may
not make the initial priority list for the house.

We need to buy a washer and dryer, since they do not usually
convey in this area. We need new beds, both for Joanne and for
the master bedroom. We will have to assess the furniture we
have left in storage for the past four years, for condition and for
how it fits in the new house. There's a lot of uncertainty in the
last case; how does four years of storage affect furniture? In an
ideal world, the effects are minimal, but that remains to be seen.