Hi
moopher!
First of all, congratulations on the purchase of your house! Nothing better than having a place of your own!
Concerning your inquiry about a sound system, you seem to have listened well as it's better to go slow and build upon a good base. There are a lot of people that can help you in your quest to find something, but they'll need some basic information first.
What is your budget at the moment?
Do you want 5.1 or 7.1?
Are movies and music equally important?
Do you have any space restrictions?
Do you prefer floorstanding speakers or Monitor/Bookshelf speakers?
Etc, etc., etc!
If you could give us a little insight as to what you currently own and what you'd like, we can help you out for sure!
John