Sarah insisted they keep $10,000 in the bank after the purchase. "Houses break the moment you move in," she warned. "You’ll need a lawnmower, curtains, and a plumber for that leak you didn't see during the walkthrough." The Decision

"We have $50,000," Leo said, tapping a calculator. "That’s a huge amount of money. Why does it feel like we’re still short?"

This was the surprise. Sarah told them to set aside another 2% to 5% of the home purchase price. For a $400,000 home, that meant an extra $8,000 to $20,000 for taxes, lender fees, and title insurance.