Gasp. You’re ready to buy your first home. 

Some of you may already have a few ducks in a row when it comes to taking your next steps. But for those of you who don’t know how to start “eating the elephant” and would benefit from a couple high-level boxes to check off, this is for you:

 

Three Things You Need to Start

the Home-Buying Process

 

A Realtor. Or Three.

First up – “find your moving buddy.” When looking for a realtor, it’s okay to shop around. Some people take a recommendation from a friend and run with it. But you have the freedom to “interview” a few agents to find 1) someone who’s really good at what they do / reputable (has good reviews either from friends or online), and 2) someone you feel respected by / feel comfortable with (the chemistry will really help when navigating such a large life decision). You’re not legally required to have a realtor, but if this is your first time buying, you may really benefit from having a guide.

 

How Much Mortgage Can You Afford.

Next up – figure out the money situation. There are a lot of tools out there to help you figure this out. Even Google has a quick mortgage calculator. Don’t get too overwhelmed on this part. Grab your spouse, a friend, a family member, or a coworker to help — preferably anyone who has been in this situation before. Use the people in your life for support.

 

A Legit Mortgage Lender & Pre-Approval.

(This is the part where we’re supposed to put in a plug for ourselves as a mortgage lender. But in the effort of being as objectively helpful as we can, we’re going to keep this simple.) This step just requires you to 1) find a reputable lender who’s responsive and offers a quick turnaround, and 2) get pre-approved before you start looking for your new home.

 

The housing market is exceedingly difficult to navigate this year. So for now, just take things in stride. We’ll break down each of these steps in coming articles to help you walk through the process confidently. But for now…

 

Know that you are where you need to be today.

You can start eating the elephant tomorrow.