Separate purchase costs and cash reserves
List completion costs, moving-in spending, recurring ownership expenses and a chosen cash reserve separately.
List known spending before uncertainty
Gather confirmed transaction, bank, moving and renovation costs. Mark missing quotes or unresolved items as open, rather than zero, and distinguish available down-payment funds from all savings.
Plan reserves against actual spending and needs, keeping them separate from amounts already payable and checking availability dates. A calculator total does not decide the appropriate reserve for an individual.
Keep four funding categories distinct
Use actual documents and labelled estimates.
| Item | Record | Follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| Completion | Down payment, fees and due dates | Check written notices |
| Move-in | Moving, equipment and obtained quotes | List pending quotes |
| Ownership | Recurring costs and periods | Use a common period |
| Reserve | Funds chosen to remain available | Keep separate from paid costs |
Illustration: an unresolved budget item
If listed costs total a hypothetical HK$50,000 while a repair quote remains missing, that amount is a known-items subtotal, not the complete move-in cost. List the repair and chosen reserve separately.
Keep uncertainty visible
- Known figures and estimates are distinct
- Availability dates are clear
- Reserves are not double-counted as costs