Wow… home ownership! Whether that means a country cottage with a picket fence and a backyard, a condo in a skyscraper, or a doublewide in the desert sun, it's up to you. But before you buy that dream home you need to do a little planning.

There are those unfortunate souls who got so swept up in the excitement of buying a home that it wasn't until they settled in that they realized they had a death-wish for the neighbor's barking dog, the noise from the nearby firehouse or that stink from the sawmill down-wind. The bottom-line is that each rural, suburban and urban setting has its own quirks that can dramatically alter your quality of life.

We're here to help you inventory the things that will affect your quality of life such as schools, parks, and shopping:

• Find your best place to live
• Assess thousands of school districts

What size home is juuuuust right for you? Knowing what size home you want, and why, certainly simplifies the hunt for a home. Knowing the type of home you want will save you a lot of time, too. That's why we're here to help you figure out which purchase is right for you.

• Home Features Checklist
• Neighborhood Checklist

If you already know where you want to live, what you want your dwelling to be made of (like the three little piggies… straw? wood? brick?), how much space you need, what kind of shape it should be in and the type of home that floats your boat, you're already ahead of the game and can go straight for the tough stuff… money. We're here to help you figure out how much house you can afford, as well as sort out what your monthly payments should look like.

• How much will my payments be?
• What house can I afford?
• A Home Buying Primer

Get help!

Unless you're an old pro at buying and selling real estate, purchasing a home can feel like taking that calc final over and over again. Fortunately, whether you live in the big city or the middle of nowhere, there's a real estate agent or broker nearby. Sure, you can cut out these middle men and buy direct from the owner (bypassing those pesky commissions), but Realtors and brokers tend to have good relationships with title companies and other key players, like housing inspectors and exterminators. An experienced Realtor can cut through a lot of red tape and make things happen for you. If you don't know what qualities you should be looking for in these folks, we can give you the lowdown on what to look for.

• Best Agent
• Choosing a Broker Wisely

If there's ever a time when people get blocked, it's while filling out a lender's application or reviewing a contract form to make an offer on a home. Isn't your head spinning already? There's plenty of stuff that's not nearly as confusing as it seems at first. We'll present you with some key home buying and maintaining concepts and you'll be amazed at how far good information can get you!

• Home Loan Glossary

For more information buy

100 Questions Every First-Time Home Buyer Should Ask by Ilyce R. Glick and Alyce R. Glick

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