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Step 1
Get your finances in order. Get a free copy of your credit report (see Resources) and find out how your credit looks. Pay off anyone you owe money to and pay down your credit cards and pay them on time.
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Step 2
Get pre-approved. Go to a bank or mortgage lending company and talk to a lender about what you will have to do get pre-approved. Go through their process, and when you are done you can start shopping.
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Step 3
Find a real estate agent. An agent will know some information about houses that may be harder for you to find on your own. An agent does have an incentive to help you find a house, but he will not be as concerned about you as you are, so consider what he says, but consider your needs first.
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Step 4
Look on your own. Don't just let the real estate agent look for you. Visit websites and look in papers and drive through neighborhoods. You may find just what you are looking for on your own.
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Step 5
Put in an offer. This is where a real estate agent comes in handy. Agents know the rules and requirements to help you put in a proper offer. Don't necessarily offer the asking price but offer what you think the house is worth and what you are willing to pay. Don't just throw a really low number out because you think you can get the price down; this may get your offer rejected. If you have found a good house, be willing to pay for it.
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Step 6
Ask for a warranty with the house, or get it inspected and make the sale contigent on the inspection. Houses don't pass or fail inspection, you just find out what is going on with the house. If a house has problems, you don't have to abandon the house. An inspection may reveal issues that are perfectly acceptable or may cause you to request a reduction in the price based on the issues.
