Get peace of mind when you work with the experts. The following five tips will save you hours of headache.

1. Become Pre Qualified for a Home Loan:
   By pre qualifying yourself for a loan automatically determines how much house you can afford. This procedure also allows you to move more quickly and efficiently when you find the right house, especially when you are not the only interested buyer.
    
   
2. Select the Right Mortgage Rates and Terms:
   When dealing in thousands of dollars, a difference of even 1/2 of a single percentage point can make a large difference in how much you pay over the life of a loan. Take for example, how this small amount will change your monthly payments.  The difference in the monthly payment on a $200,000 mortgage at 8 percent vs. 7.5 percent is about $70 per month, which is $25,200 over a standard 30-year payout.
   
   
3. Using a Real Estate Buying Agent to Obtain your Home:
   By using a qualified Buyer Agent they will have your best interest.  A Buyer Agent is compensated by the seller at the time you purchase a new home. Even though you may think you have the skill to buy a home on your own, please remember, a qualified Real Estate agent has studied many hours and passed several tests to become an Agent, this is not something you should try on your own.  A good Real Estate agent can represent the Buy and Seller and give you excellent service, just remember to ask questions and you will be in good hands.
    
4. Items that Help or Hurt Property Value:
   An experience Real Estate Agent can keep you away from pitfalls that can cost you thousands of dollars.  For example, In some areas, a swimming pool may detract from a home's value and make the home harder to sell.  The same may be said for neighborhoods with two-car, attached garages, a single-car or detached garage may impact the home sale and resale value. Let your expert Real Estate Agent point out features that hurt or help a home's value and it will save you thousands.
    
5. Evaluate Homes when You take a Tour:
   The process of viewing several homes to find that "just right" home for you can take many visits to numerous homes and after awhile it will be hard to remember each detail of a specific home.  It is highly suggested that after touring each home, take 5 minutes and write down what you liked and did not like about the home and the surrounding area.  Whether you are a first time buyer or a seasoned real estate investor, do not trust your memory of several home tours without making a few notes on each property, it may cost you thousands of dollars if your memory is not 100% accurate.