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Here are some tips to prepare yourself in order to purchase your first home!

1. Maintain your credit – pull your credit report and review for accuracy.  If you see any errors or areas you need to work on, do that first before getting pre-approved with a lender.
2. Nail down your budget – Beyond just what you can afford you need to also remember about other possible repairs or recurring costs once homeownership has been obtained.
3. Consider your wants and needs – Making a list and visualizing what you want will help keep you on track!
4. Shop multiple lenders – comparing rates from several lenders as well as types of mortgage to help you decide if it’s a good time to lock in your rate.
5. Get preapproved – Once you’ve settled on a lender, get a pre-approval.  This will ensure once you find the HOME, you are ready to put an offer in.
6. Look for down payment assistant programs – there are many programs out there are will assist a buyer in down payment as well as closing costs. 
7. Find a local and knowledgeable real estate agent – As a buyer it costs you nothing to work with an agent but their knowledge and experience will prove invaluable when deciding to purchase your first home!