by Nita Tyson

Created on: November 22, 2011

Buying a house can be a scary process, whether you have bought a house before or not. If you create a plan and stick with it, you can end up with a new house in no time.

Make sure you have a Realtor. Even though it seems cheaper to go it on your own, your Realtor can answer all your questions and take care of the pesky details. Realtors can make recommendations on properties, scope out neighborhoods, and rule out properties that would not meet your needs. They will also prepare the paperwork to be presented when you find a house you would like to make an offer on. In the long run, they will save you loads of time and stress.

Pick a good neighborhood for YOU. No neighborhood is perfect, but make sure you're in a neighborhood that matches your personality.  If you like to play your guitar at 3 a.m., don't choose a neighborhood where the homes are close together and there's a list of rules and a homeowner's association.  Make sure the neighborhood is a good match.

Don't pay more for the house than what it is worth. In the current bad economy, it's as easy to find a suitable lower-priced home as it is a higher-priced one! Ask the realtor if the cost is good when compared to similar properties.

Give the house the once over. How does it look? Is the roof level, or does it sag? Are the window frames intact, or are they peeling and swollen? Is there mold anywhere? Checking these things will give you a good idea how much work will need to go into this home.

Get an inspection before you make an offer. An inspection can turn up hidden problems and can give you leverage with the seller. If the damage is too bad, you'll know to just move on; there are literally thousands of suitable houses on the market right now.

Finally, if the home needs repairs but you really like it, make the repairs a bargaining point in your offer. You may be able to negotiate a deal where the owner makes some - or even all - of the repairs in order to make a sale.

If you have a plan and can set it in motion, buying a home can be easy. Using the plan presented here, you won't have to settle for less than what you want when buying a home.

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