Engagement vs. Housewarming Party

We are so close to finally owning our own home.

After YEARS of going to our friends house parties, we can finally host our own. It's long overdue for both of us.

In my fiance's circle, engagement parties are standard.

In my circle, they aren't.

I'm trying to convince him to let me throw a housewarming party because that way I can invite a ton more people than just the wedding party. (I assume just the wedding party attends engagement parties, I'm out of the loop.)

I also just feel like my friends are going to be doing bridal showers and bachlorette, that throwing an engagement party seems like too much.

Is it strange to skip the engagement party thing?

We're obviously engaged and have been for a couple months now, so waiting til we've been engaged 5 months and 8 months from the wedding seems a little silly.

Anything I should definitely do or definitely avoid?