[J.A.Sucker]

The first time you buy a house there's lots of ways to get screwed over and it can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you don't know what you're doing (which none of us do the first time).

Get a good realtor who will WORK FOR YOU. They get commission from the seller's end, not from the buyer, so you aren't paying them (if the house is listed with a realtor and you buy it without a realtor, the listing agency gets all the money). Just remember that if your realtor isn't doing enough work or is wasting your time, let them know that you're the boss. If they don't improve, FIRE THEM and get another one.

Beyond that, you just need to scrape the money together for a down payment and look into the loans. Get pre-approved for a mortgage so you have the money at the ready - a quick close is often enough to swing a sale in your favor at a lower price. You should also know what your price range is and what the MAX you want to pay. You should talk about this CAREFULLY with the mortgage broker. Ask any question you can think of, no matter how stupid it seems. As with the realtor, if they don't give you good service/answers/treatment, FIRE THEM and get somebody else.

Once you have this all down, you and the realtor go out and figure out what kinds of places you want and how much you can spend. Don't let your realtor try to push you into a more expensive place. It's good to look at a few, just to see what the market holds, but let them know your firm upper limit. Demand a lot of their time and talk to them every day about what's new on the market. It may take you several months to get the place you want. If the realtor can't understand this, FIRE THEM and get somebody else who will listen to them.

Finally, at closing, make sure you read everything carefully and ask any questions that you can't fully understand. I had a serious problem with my mortgage broker at my closing and I ended up walking out. The escrow agent ended up getting everything straightend out and I closed the next day, but it was a pain. However, it's much better to be a little pissed than to get screwed over for a lot of money.

Remember, this is your deal, and you're in charge. You (and/or the seller) are paying these people big money to make your experience as smooth as possible and to make sure all the loose ends get properly tied up. Don't let anyone convince you or pressure you otherwise. Good luck!