Top things to know
1. Don't buy if you can't stay put. If you can't commit to remaining in one place for at least a few years, then owning is probably not for you, at least not yet. With the transaction costs of buying and selling a home, you may end up losing money...

Are you ready to own?
Before we get into the nuts and bolts of this lesson, a bit of advice for first-time homebuyers: Sure, owning a home is one of the key elements of the American Dream, and not by accident. Home ownership means you no longer pay monthly rent for the...

Setting your budget
Your credit rating is the key to being able to get an attractive mortgage. For most people, buying a house involves a double financial whammy. First you have to assemble a pile of cash for the down payment and closing costs. Then you must convi...

Picking a team
Don't buy a home without professional help. With all the tools and advice available today ranging from books and magazines to online advice like this lesson - it would theoretically be possible for you to buy your home almost completely without th...

The hunt
Your first step here is to figure out what city or neighborhood you want to live in. (Remember the old saw about "location, location, location.") For overall demographics and data on metropolitan areas, you can visit a city site like CNNMoney.com'...

Closing the deal
Once you find the house you want, you need to move quickly to make your bid. If you're working with a buyer's broker, then get advice from him or her on an initial offer. If you're working with a seller's agent, devise the strategy yourself. Try t...

Recommended Contractors
After you've purchased your home, you may want to fix it up. We've all heard stories about bad contractors - perhaps you've even experienced this. Don't let it happen again. Ever. Read my recommendations for reliable individuals with integrity who perform high-quality work.

Additional Links
Here are some links to other websites that you may find useful in your buying process.