Hidden costs/catches for domain name purchase?? Esp .org.au or .org

I'm trying to find out what I need to know to purchase a domain name. So far, I've got the hang of what registrars are and registries and that there are "middle men" known as resellers.

I know that some resellers set it up so that they own the name and charge me for it and others organise that I own it, not them. I don't know if any registrars will do the same.

I know there is a HUGE price difference depending on which registrar you use. It also seems that renewal prices don't match the initial cost by registrar, eg: the cheapest registrar for buying isn't necessarily the cheapest for renewal. I don't want to go through a registrar that charges modestly until renewal time comes around and then get hit with a massive bill. I also haven't managed to find out whether you can take the name and go elsewhere if you don't like their renewal fee - I suppose that would be in their T&C but I'm not doing too well on that one - overload of info at the moment so I'm looking for shortcuts to my info here.

I also know that resellers may sell you web space as well but I'm quite happy not to buy the webspace and get that separately - there are some free hosts that seem to have a good reputation that will let us use a domain name of our own and should suit us.

So to anyone who knows the catches and hidden costs for buying a domain name, could you please tell me what I need to know. Specifically Australian I am interested in because the group I am dealing with this for are eligible for a .org or .org.au address and the .org is taken. Though to be honest, I don't know if being an Australian org makes the group only eligible for .org.au or if .org would be possible too.

Thanks all!

 

No one knows?? Surely someone here must have bought an Australian domain name some time?? :-D