When taking your first steps toward your new purchase, you may have many questions. Often times, you may not know the right person to ask. Here you will find helpful tips from choosing the right agent to what to expect at the time of closing.

Be Prepared: Being organized and in control will contribute significantly to getting the best home deal possible with the least amount of stress. Is important to anticipate the steps required to successfully achieve your housing goal and to build a plan of action that gets you there.

Before you can build a plan of action, take the time to lay the groundwork for your decision-making process.

First, ask yourself how much can you afford to pay for a home. Second, ask yourself where you want to live and what is the best location for you and/or your family.

Contact a Mortgage Lender: Most lenders can pre-qualify you for a mortgage over the phone. Based on general questions about your income, debt, assets, and credit history, lenders can estimate how much mortgage you qualify for. However, being pre-qualified and pre-approved are different things. Pre-approval means that you have applied for a mortgage; you have filled out the mortgage application, received your credit report, and verified your employment, assets, etc. When you are pre-approved, you know exactly what the maximum loan amount will be. It gives you credibility as an interested buyer and lets the seller know immediately that you will qualify for a loan to buy their property.

Choosing the Right Agent: Choose an experienced agent who is there for you. Your agent should be actively finding you potential homes, keeping you informed, negotiating furiously on your behalf, and answering all of your questions with competence and speed. Find an agent who represents you and not the seller so he or she is also focused on getting you the lowest asking price.

A few words of caution: Be careful of listing agents.

A listing agent's role is to find a buyer, to get a high price and as good terms as possible for the seller, and is required to inform the seller of any facts that may influence the decision about whether to accept an offer or not. Always keep in mind that you want the lowest price and the best terms. If an agent is not directly working for you, they could very well be working against you.

Cut Those Cards: Don't go on a spending spree using credit if you are thinking about buying a home, or in the process of buying a new home. Your mortgage pre-approval is subject to a final evaluation of your financial situation. Every $100 you pay per month on a credit payment could cost your about $10,000 in home eligibility. For example, a car payment of $300/month could mean that you qualify for $30,000 less in a mortgage.

The Right Seller: The best seller is one who is highly motivated. A highly motivated seller is more likely to sell for less than his or her house is worth. When given the opportunity to meet with sellers, ask them why they are selling. The reasons could be anything from a job change to financial problems. If you can solve their problem, they are more likely to accept.

There are also some sellers that you should avoid. Not every seller is as genuinely motivated as they make themselves to be. Some possible hints include: the seller stalls on having the home appraised or inspected, is unable to clear up liens against their property, does not own 100% of their property, they push back the move-out date

It is impossible to find the perfect seller, but it is possible to find out which sellers are legit and which ones aren't.

The Home Inspection: As a buyer, you are entitled to know exactly what you are getting. Don't take for granted what you see and what the seller or the listing agent tells you. A professional home inspection is something you MUST do, whether you are buying an existing home or a new one.

Beforehand, make sure the report will be done by a professional organization, such as a local trade organization or a national trade organization such as ASHI (American Society of Home Inspection). Not only should you never skip an inspection, but also you should go along with the inspector during inspection. This gives you a chance to ask questions about the property and get answers that are not biased. In addition, the oral comments are typically more revealing and detailed than what you will find on the written report. Once the inspection is complete, review the inspection report carefully.

You have to demand an inspection when you present your offer. It must be written in as a contingency; if you do not approve the inspection report, then you don't buy. Most real estate contracts automatically provide an inspection contingency.