You've just bought your first home. The down payment has been made and the papers signed. The boxes are packed, the truck is loaded and good-byes are said. With nervous excitement you are on your way to your new home. Finally, you have arrived, begin unpacking and suddenly realize that you can't change a light bulb because you don't have one!

Thus begins the first of many unexpected expenses of owning your first home. It may sound ridiculous, but there are many little things that people don't think of when they are moving into a new home and how daunting it can be to have to extra expenses that you didn't count on.

For example, lets say, a newly married couple who moves from their two bedroom apartment in New York City to a four bedroom house on Long Island. They didn't think to bring a mop and broom because their apartment was carpeted and the new house has hardwood or tile floors. Sounds silly doesn't it? But those small items, if you don't already have them, can add up quickly.

The purchases are small and are easily made over time, but if you need several items at once it can be an expense that you didn't include in your initial moving costs.

It's a good idea, if a person can handle the stress of adding one more thing to their list of things to remember when moving, is to get the things before hand or set aside some money for these unexpected expenses that may arise after you get to your new home.

Some good things to remember are:
- Having to change the locks on all your doors including garage and exterior basement doors as you don't know who may have a key.
- Possibly having to paint interior walls, as you may realize that after the former owners have moved out, they don't look as nice as they did when you first looked at the house.
- Making sure that you have basic tools such as a hammer, pliers and a screwdriver.
- Having extra utility bills such as garbage pick up or water. This is a must to remember for former renters as such things were usually included in the rent.
- Extra cleaning supplies like garbage bags and paper towels. Extra light bulbs, batteries, flashlight and a first aid kit is always good to have. Put all these things into one box so that you don't end up searching the multitude of other boxes that you brought with you.

There is always a million little things to do when first moving into house when you are in the process of making it your own. There are things that just can't be done the minute you move into your new home. Another good idea, and this should be a priority, it to set up a Repair Fund. Setting aside one to three percent of the price of the home is recommended by some home manuals. Say you are concerned about energy efficiency and would like to put in a new water heater, but don't have the funding right away. Wrapping the heater with an insulated blanket is inexpensive and a good temporary way to start being efficient. Having the repair fund avoids the hassle of having to come up with the extra money.

Remembering or trying to remember all the little costs of moving in can make the first time home buying experience less stressful for the new home owner. Make your list and check it twice!

Blogging has become a major part of every web site available whether it be business or personal and the real estate industry has utilized the blog arena fully. At a blog site, articles and information are posted and one can leave a comment about the post, whether agreeing or not, it is another way to voice an opinion.

There are real estate blogs for just about every state in the USA. In New York City alone, there are numerous blogs such as Curbed.com that provides readers with pics and updates on real estate developments taking place all over NYC. Brownstoner.com covers the Brooklyn area and of course our blog here at TopNYCapts.com. Though these sites fill you in on recent happenings, they also provide resources to other real estate information.

These information blog sites provide informative articles and resources about the business aspects of real estate. From mortgages to obtaining leads and every thing in between. One of the top sites for getting information is realblogging.com. The site has some forty contributors providing agents and consumers with the opportunity to exchange ideas and to stay informed about the latest trends and industry news.

As the blog revolution continues, one will be able to find an answer to just about any question asked.

A Real Estate Seminar by Robert M. Fisher:

Becoming the Best Real Estate Professional (tips from Monergy. . .All about the energy of money)

---6:30pm, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5th, 2006

---New York Real Estate Institute, 139 W. 35th Street (2nd floor; between Broadway & 7th)

---Fee: $25

---To Register, call 212-967-7508

---Visit http://www.nyrei.com AND http://www.MonergyTheBook.com

Former attorney, current real estate developer and New York City native Robert M. Fisher delivers a timely, informative and insightful lecture that examines how the real estate profession is impacted by the quality of energy applied to the deal making process (by sharing key points from his forthcoming book Monergy. . .all about the energy of money).

As a real estate developer who played a part in the rejuvenation of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Fisher brings a true insider’s perspective to issues such as property management, title closing, appraisals and real estate as a vehicle for investment. He also speaks about the how the profession is impacted (positively and negatively) by lifestyle choices and attitude (by sharing key points from his forthcoming book Monergy: All about the energy of money).

Seminar Topics Include:

---Renovating Property for the Purpose of Selling It

---5 Ways Your Energy Changes & Affects Your First Investment

---Buy, Sell or Hold on to What You've Got

---How the Energy You Apply as a Landlord will Make you Rich or Create a Disaster

---Real Estate: Throwing the Dice in 2007

New York Real Estate Institute --- Biography

The New York Real Estate Institute is the gold standard in the industry since 1987. Among their more than 50,000 graduates are some of the most successful real estate professionals in New York. They are the regions number one learning institution for licensed real estate professionals and for those looking to be real estate investors.

NYREI offers the largest selection of continuing education courses to be taken in the classroom or online. They also offer the following courses every month: Salesperson Licensing; Broker Licensing; Property Management; Mortgage Training; Title Closing; Appraiser Licensing; Home Inspection; Construction Project Management; Florida Broker Licensing and Florida Mortgage Broker Licensing (both exclusive to NYREI); Notary and many Real Estate Investment Courses.

Robert M. Fisher --- Biography

A former attorney, current real estate developer, and NYC native Robert M. Fisher is uniquely qualified to speak about business, money, finance, real estate and lifestyle topics.

While doing his undergraduate work at SUNY Buffalo, he spent a semester at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark--then went on to George Washington University Law School. As a real estate developer, he is please to have played a part in the rejuvenation of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. On March 23, 2006, Fisher was the guest for a live interview on the ABC News Now Money Matters segment (where he and anchor John Yang discussed the business and lifestyle applications of his book Monergy). He writes business, workplace and travel articles for publications including the NYC, Boston and Philadelphia editions of Metro.

Early Praise for Monergy: All about the energy of money

---Monergy really makes you think about responsibility, and the energy effects of every thought and action. . .highly intelligent.---Donald J. Kutyna, General, US Air Force (Retired); former Commander in Chief: North American Aerospace Defense Command; US Space Command

---You will never think about your money in the same way again. This book opens your eyes to a creative approach to financial success.---Jordan Ayan, CEO, Subscribermail

---A mindful read that enlightens one to the importance that it is not about the money you are making as much as what the money is making of you.---Stuart Avery Gold, CEO, The Republic of Tea; author, Success@Life--How to Catch and Live Your Dream