Soak time. The length of time you marinate food depends on both the food and the marinade. Delicate fish, shellfish, and fruit usually soak for a shorter period of time (from 20 minutes to a few hours), while meats can go longer (up to a day or two).
Having your taxes and insurance included in your mortgage payment is actually very convenient. Instead of having to pay an annual insurance premium and half of your annual taxes on April 30th and the second half on October 31st, the lender establishes an automatic savings plan for you.
If not paying off any existing debt will allow you to provide a down payment equal to 20% of the sales price of your home, you can avoid paying private mortgage insurance. This may save you money over time as long as the interest rate on your existing debt is not very high.