Buying a House

The home buying process is one of the most exciting things you'll ever go through. And also one of the most confusing, stressful and nerve-wracking. Believe me... I've been there! But there is hope, and help, available for you. This is a good place to start, especially if you've never bought a house before. I'll go over some tips and tricks to help you along the way, as well as talk about some key things you're likely to encounter.

My husband and I entered into the home-buyer's market when we were at the tender ages of eighteen and nineteen, respectively. We had no clue what we were doing, very little money, and a lot of hope. We also had an excellent Realtor. Almost three years later, and now a Realtor myself, I can look back on it and understand everything with perfect clarity. But all I saw then was a blur of paperwork and homes.

One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to select a good Realtor to help you with the process. And not just a real estate agent. Use an actual Realtor. The difference is that Realtors adhere to a code of ethics, and are more apt to look out for your best interests. They can guide you through the whole process, and answer any questions you may have. Ours was a lifesaver, that's for sure!

The first thing you'll want to do is speak with a mortgage lender to get a mortgage pre-approval. This is a powerful piece of paper, that gives you an advantage in negotiating. It's also required to write up a serious offer, so you may as well have one from the beginning. The lender will run your credit and look over your income information, and discuss all of the loan options available to you. Then they will hand you that magical paper that tells you exactly how much home you can afford. Once past that technicality, you can start the fun part!