It can be a difficult task to buy your first home. But there were millions of people before you who survived. You will have the best chance of finding a spot you can afford for a price you can handle if you do your homework. The huge surprise for many first-timers is that before they can even start looking for a home, they need to complete the first 10 measures on this list.

1. Financial Health Review

Do a serious audit of your finances before you click through online listing pages or fall in love with your dream home. 

First, look at your savings. Don’t even consider buying a home with three to six months of living expenses before you have an emergency savings account. Check at how much remains in your savings and your investment accounts that might go downward.

Now, take a closer look at your expenditures for a month and where it goes. This will inform you how much a mortgage payment can be allocated.

2. Check First Time Buyers benefits

It’s good to know what constitutes a good deal before you start meeting with lenders. And that includes looking at special programs that could make finding a property you can afford easier for you. If you start looking for a loan, take this information with you. 

3. Deal with lenders

Most realtors are not going to spend time with buyers who have not explained how much they can afford to spend. And most sellers won’t even accept a bid that isn’t followed by a pre-approval mortgage. That is why if you don’t have all the money, how many first-time buyers are there? Your next move is to speak to a mortgage broker and/or lender.

A lender or broker may assess your credit score and the amount that you are eligible for a mortgage. He or she will also explore your wealth (savings, 450(k), etc.) and liabilities, as well as any regional initiatives that may be available to help with the down payment. That’s where you can support your homework on homebuyer services for the first time. Look for a lender to manage the package you plan to get if you feel you are eligible. 

4. Find an agent for real estate

It’s time to find a real estate agent once you know how much you can afford and how much loan you’ll qualify for. Search for someone who works with a team of people who can provide house inspectors, insurance agents, etc. ideas. Realtors do a great deal of groundwork for you by calling listing agents to set up shows and help you negotiate the transaction. The best part is that a customer is not paying for a realtor’s job. For a buyer, the service is free, as sellers charge the whole fee.

5. Make a decision on a neighborhood

You are likely to have an ideal location, but keep an open mind as you see how much house you can buy in various areas. The more they come from a metropolitan area, homes, and land are less costly. On the other hand, thinking that the long commute doesn’t matter, it’s an easy trap to get into. A long commute’s pressure and expense can damage relationships, finances, and mental health. Use the calculator to see what your monthly bill might be applied to that extra trip. 

6. Look at the monthly bills

First-time homebuyers often move out of rentals that use less energy (gas, oil, electric, etc.) and water than a larger new home will. If your new house has ceilings higher than your rental or older windows that leaks air it’s easy to be ambushed by rising rates. Then there are unforeseen utilities like purchasing gas to power a lawnmower. These costs are likely to blow a budget.

Request energy bills for the past 12 months before making a purchase offer to get an idea of the average monthly rate. Upon request, many utility companies can provide a copy of a homeowner. If you’re in love with a house and everything else works except energy bills, have an audit carried out to determine your options to make it more energy-efficient.

7. Don’t forget home inspection

Spend some money for a home inspection after your bid has been accepted. Even investing $450 will teach you about the house and help you determine whether you really want to pay for repairs you need. Depending on the results of the inspection evaluation, you can also leverage the bid and make the contractor financially responsible for all or some of the repairs.

8. Know what you can change, and what you can’t

The entire process feels overwhelming when you purchase your first home. Especially unsettling is the idea of spending thousands of dollars to replace or update old and unsafe systems or outdated appliances. This seems like an insurmountable obstacle.

But there are some problems in every house. Some of them are things that you can work on, while there are some that you can’t; some are things that you can alter, and some are permanent features.

The number one thing about a house that you can’t change is its location. So remember that when you buy a house, you’re not just buying the structure, you’re buying the neighborhood. Visit the surrounding area before sending a bid and making a full purchasing commitment. 

In the meantime, you can solve other problems or at least bear them until you can fix them. The water heater, for instance, is something we could improve about the home. But if we had let this problem scare us away from buying the property, we might have missed out on the opportunity to live with good neighbors in a family-oriented environment.

9. Establish your emergency fund

It’s quick to be surprised when you’re a first-time homebuyer by the many “extras” in your monthly budget. Issues that haven’t existed before such as higher utility bills, home repairs, and lawn maintenance begin to add up and make a big difference in your bottom line. 

Secure your emergency fund for several months or even years before you commit to the home buying process if you want to be as prepared as possible. When you need it that way, the money will be there, which will make the whole thing much less stressful.

10. The Bottom Line

This may be the biggest financial decision you’ll ever make to buy your first home. Don’t take more financial obligations than you can handle. A small stretch might be worth it, but if life gets momentarily bumpy, a major one might haunt you.

That’s why your risk tolerance should be kept in mind. “Save more money for a large down payment and find a loan that works for you if you find great security in owning your house.

The bigger the down payment, the less debt you’re going to be; the less debt, the more you’re going to be able to survive economic disasters and still own your home.