Five "Golden Rules" of HiFi?

only 2 rules.......1. one's love of music has nothing to do with equipment or media. 2. one's love of equipment or media has nothing to do with music.

Biomimetic: Thought I detected a note of sarcasm in your post. My apologies.
I actually DO like headphones.
The problem is I like them SO MUCH that I turn 'em WAY UP!
My aging eardrums take days to recover.
This doesn't occur with speakers.

As far as buying the house; I assumed this post was for the youngsters getting into our sport/hobby (spobby?).
I let my passion for the holy grail blind me to first-things-first common sense purchases.
Have you ever heard of the farmer who, having hunger today, ate his seeds instead of planting them?
We know what happened to him some time down the road.
I just wanted to put this out as a warning.

1.- LOVE the Music
2.- Don't trust nobody exept your ears. Exept if they are teaching you and not saling you somthing.
3.- Proportion of expences in a Stero. 35% Speakers, 25% Power amplifer, 20% Preamplifier, 10% CD player & 5% cables. (APROXIMATELY)
4.- Be carful with used equipmet.
5.- NORMALY HOW THINKS IT'S ALWYS RIGHT, IT ALWIS WRONG.

1. Don't believe in the HYPE of a particular brand or audio company.
2. Check your hearing with a hearing test.
3. Listen to what you want to buy FIRST.
4. Are you an equipment loving person or a music loving person?
5. You can get a great audio system without spending multiple thousands of dollars.

1. Spend a lot of time performing room measurements (learn how to do it and buy good equipment/sofware), optimize room dimensions and treatment, optimize speaker positioning, optimize listening position, install dedicated power lines, power distribution. Major impact.

2. Get great speakers first, adequate for the type/range of music you like, then think about other components.

3. Don't trust dealers and reviewers (most of them are quite biased) and audiophiles who have a different musical focus/range.  ALWAYS try new equipment and cables in your own system. If you listen and think it is a step back in any way, even though a step forward in some ways, don't buy it. If you think the improvement is too small for the price, don't buy it.

4. Buy used (except cartridges), wait a while if necessary. 

5. Listen to great systems, go to the Munich High End Show, go listen to great audiophile rooms/systems, listen to live music.  So that you find out what you want and have clear references.

6.  Listen to lots of music end enjoy it.  After a certain point, the need to upgrade decreases dramatically because the music seems quite real.