A while back I wanted to buy a home, this is what happened to me.
Whether or not you rent now, the decision to get your first home is a big decision. A couple years ago I never thought own a home. I always thought I would pay quite a bit more than I was paying in rent, not to mention having a big down payment I didn't think I could. In reality, for only a hundred dollars a month more I was able to get a home that was about twice the size of my apartment, plus I no longer had to deal with people below me playing music with their sub-woofers banging until 1 am.
The good news is that a few extra dollars each month I am putting hundreds of dollars in equity in my house. Unfortunately living in an apartment you have nothing for all the cash you spend year upon year in rent. In a couple years when I decide to sell my house, I will have thousands of dollars in equity saved up.
When I said that I should a house, I needed to find out how much I could afford. I also knew I needed to find out how good my credit score was, because this would determine the best rate I could get. I was nervous of finding out my credit score because a a couple years ago I did not have the best credit history. I knew I needed more information, so I asked for the advice of my family & friends that own houses, and information on the internet.
Family and friends have a lot of amazing information and advice to give you. You want to be careful who you ask, and how much information you let them give you or you will have friends giving all manor of crazy or impractical ideas. It is important to stay focused on the budget you set. Do not let anyone talk you into a budget you are not able to afford. This social network will be an important resource for helping to find a amazing Realtor for you. If no one from your social network can suggest a good agent for you, you may want to call an insurance company, or bank for Realtor's they have worked with before. If all else fails, you can find one on the internet, and you must review agents through services like Yelp before hiring them.
It is always important that prior to signing any documents with your agent that you feel content with them, and value the information provide. If this is not true and you sign paperwork with them, you might be binding yourself into a legal contract with them that you will only use their services for the next six months or even 1 year. You always need to know what papers you are signing and make sure you get a copy so that you have literature to refer back to when you have questions.