Take charge when buying a home

Approach the home-buying process intelligently and with confidence. You’re much more likely to find a house you'll be proud to call home.

The process of buying your next home can seem overwhelming. There's so much to consider: How much I afford? Where can I find the best loan? Where will I get a down payment? How much will I need? Should I buy a new home? Which home will increase in value? Should I look at homes on my own or use an agent?

These questions are just the beginning.


A home is one of the biggest financial commitments of your life, yet you don't learn about it in school. You're just supposed to pick it up along the way.

Here are the two most important things to remember about buying:

1. You can and should understand everything about the home buying process. Nothing about this process is so complex that it can't be explained to anyone with average intelligence. The fact that we don't apply for a thirty-year mortgage every week doesn't mean we have to take the first one we find. You'll need to learn some new terms, apply some new concepts and take the time to understand what you're getting into. If anything happens at any point in the process that doesn't make sense to you, simply ask for a full and complete explanation. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from someone you trust like your CPA or your banker.

2. YOU are the most important person in the entire process. As the buyer, you are the one person in this transaction that makes it all happen. If you decide not to buy, the entire process comes to a grinding halt. So take command of this process. Surround yourself with a team of trusted professionals and make them work for you.

If you plan from the start to approach the home buying process intelligently and with confidence, you are much more likely to emerge with a house you'll be proud to call home. And you’ll know that you made the right decision.