RF - You guys really need to crunch your numbers. Buying your first house is fun and exciting and something great and wonderful to look forward to. You do your own interior, landscaping, etc. Fun, fun, fun. But like Jo said, there is a reality to it all too.
Our first house was around 15 years old. We lived there 4 years. Let's see, the roof had to be replaced, $4000 (And this was around 1993). One day when DH was leaving on a business trip, the cat was watching water drip from the ceiling. The hot water heater started leaking big time, another replacement cost. The day we came home from the hospital from having Chris, the A/C went out and had to be replaced. It was a heat pump which in Ohio was horrid, so we replaced with a gas furnace and central air, I think that was another $4000. New years eve, when Chris was 6 months old, our fridge went out, that was around another $1000. A $20 heating element went out on the oven. After 4 weeks of it being "on order we found out that it was no longer available as the oven was so old, so we had to replace it. (We looked into having the element made and that was as expensive as a new oven.) (Also, I remember all of these costs so well because money was so tight and because it was usually what I had in my savings account for the new landscaping.)
This isn't any of the fun stuff we wanted to do to the house, or furniture we wanted to buy, etc. I never got to replace the carpet in house, which was one of the first things I wanted to do. I did get to repaint, (when the roof leaked, the interior had to be painted.) I got to rewallpaper two rooms, but had wanted to do more. I had wanted to landscape as the landscaping at that house was very random and odd. I got to do that a few months before we found out we were moving.
It also isn't any of the things we had to do to our cars.
The house passed inspection. The roof and AC had said they had about 10 more years on them which should have been about right, but things happen and maybe those things just don't last as long as they should.
It also sounded like you might be borrowing from your dad. Which is a great and a generous offer from him. Think about your mortgage, will this max you out? If so, where will you get money to pay back your dad? It would be like taking on 2 loans at once. Are your cars paid for? If so, will you need a new one soon? Will you be able to afford the payment along with your mortgage? It might put a strain on your relationship with your dad if you have trouble making the payment to him.
I am not trying to be a downer, I just want to share what our experience was with our first house. Everything just cost more than we expected and went out quicker than we expected.
Did we survive? You bet. Was it difficult at times. Yes. Did I have some huge disappointments? A bunch. (Because everytime I would save money up for landscaping, carpet, new furniture, etc. something would go out.) Thank heavens I had been able to to save some money because it would have put a huge strain on us financially. I remember the landscape plans were all drawn up for us and we were ready to go with that when the roof leaked. The guy was so nice, he was young like we were and said no big deal, we'll just do it later. And we did, 3 years later but we went with him again because he was so nice to us.
Our home now is only 6 to 8 years old. We just had the hot water heaters worked on, just had to replace the microwave, my gas cook top needs work, we have a leaky sprinkler head so my DH is manually turning the water on to the sprinklers each day
(because we can't get the guy out here to get the work done, business is too good for those guys around here.) We need to kilz the ceiling where my dd flooded her bathroom and repaint that. We need more work on our security system (which another issue of getting those guys out here.) The deck needs powerwashed and stained. The siding on the dormers needs powerwashed. I have a facet laying on my kitchen counter, because that needs replaced. These are just current issues. There is always something going on that needs maintenence or replacement.
Even if you do it yourself, which we try to do a lot of it, the expenses really add up.
I just want to increase your awareness of homeowner expenses. You never know what is going to happen.
Hopefully no one else had a first time home owner experience like we did, and that this will not be your experience. We used to watch the movie the money pit and joke that it was about us.
I know you guys are just completely in love with him.
No, it's really not funny at all - but kinda 
because we made all of these plans for the weekend that we really can't back out of. 
We told him earlier this week that we didn't think that we could afford to go and he offered to pay for everyone. 
Some people on the DIS are so mean! 
