What's involved in owning a house in Houston, Texas?

I am thinking about buying a house but I want to first weight the pros and cons of doing so.
So I want to have a basic idea of the costs involved of owning a house:
1. Is there a maintenance fee?
2. Is there a property tax?
3. Do you recommend financing a house or buying it cash? What are the advantages of both methods?
4. How to obtain the cheapest finance option?
5. I see a lot of people renting some of the rooms in their house and letting strangers live with them so they can support their mortgage? Is it a good or a bad idea?

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