First-Time Buyer Specialists

The best way to prepare to own your first home is to educate yourself about the home buying process. You can take a class or pick up books from the library. Also, read the real estate sections of your newspaper and consumer magazines.

Here are some things you will want to do:

• Ask lots of questions
  Learn what questions to ask and where to ask them. Your list of questions when you are interviewing real estate agents will be different than those you ask when shopping for a lender.

• Prioritize your criteria
  Determine what you want and need in a new house and prioritize your list.

• Study a variety of mortgage choices
  Investigate the available loan options and decide which is best for you. You may want to interview several lenders to learn about the many mortgage products available.

• Get pre-approved before you house shop
  Get pre-approved for a loan before you start looking for a home so you know how much you can afford to pay.