For first-time buyers of Castle Rock homes for sale, the costs of owning a home can be overwhelming and some may not even know what to expect. Aside from mortgage, there are other expenses that must be paid. The following are the things you should anticipate that would run up your bill in addition to the usual property tax and mortgage bills:

1. Utility Bills - When you own a home, it is a necessity to pay for various utility bills including cooling, heating, electricity, sewer and water. The cost of this may vary depending on the location, but you should be expecting about hundreds of dollars a year.

2. Homeowner's Insurance - According to the data collected by the Insurance Information Institute in 2006, owners pay an average yearly premium of $804 for homeowner's insurance. Expect that it would be a lot higher nowadays, considering that insurance premiums usually ascend.

3. Maintenance and Repair Costs - Even if the home you bought is newly-constructed, there's something that would definitely break one time or another. You should expect such situations and be ready to pay for a repairman to examine and fix it. There are times when a system or appliance can't be repaired and has to be replaced, which can be more expensive so it's advisable to have some money in reserve.

4.Phone, Cable, and/or Internet Bills - You need to pay for these services, unless you want to drop them and live at home without cable and Internet. Although you can survive without such things, they have become a necessity for some people. The costs for these vary in different places, but you should anticipate to pay about $150 per month for these three.

5. Cleaning Supplies - Maintaining your place of residence obviously costs money. For instance, you may need to buy a vacuum cleaner, as well as other cleaning materials like cleansers, paper towels, sponges, and vacuum bags. Even if you're a thrifty person and you use affordable items, it would still cost you money.

6. Landscaping, Furnishing, and Decorating Costs - After you have bought your new home, you would want to decorate it to suit your taste. You may even want to get some improvements like adding a patio or deck. This isn't cheap. If you're planning on doing this, you'll need hundreds or even thousands of dollars, depending on the style and materials that you want.

7. Homeowners' Association Fees - Some communities in Castle Rock real estate have homeowners' associations (HOA) wherein you need to finance homeowners' association fees. Depending on the services offered by the association, the cost varies from about a hundred dollars or even more every month.