Buying a home can be an emotional, time-consuming, and frustrating process. There are things you can do to help make the process go as smooth as possible:

1.) Check your credit.
Before you apply for a home mortgage, regardless of your credit, it's a smart idea to obtain a copy of your credit report and review the information. If there are errors or items that need addressed, it's easier to deal with them before you have found a house, than after you have found a house and on a time limit of trying to close financing.

If you know that a few marks exist on your credit, let your lender know what they are, why they are there, and why they shouldn't affect their decision. Lenders look at credit to determine how likely you will pay back the loan. If you experienced some circumstances - like a loss of a job or medical bills - just be honest and let them know so that they understand those circumstances.

2.) Get approved before you buy.
Pre-approval means that a lender has reviewed your credit history, verified your assets and employment, and has approved your loan before you find property to purchase. Then, providing the property is appraised for the purchase price, the deal will go ahead.

Being pre-approved gives you an advantage over other buyers. Your firm approval makes it easier for you to negotiate on the price of a home, than a person who is not approved and it could mean your Offer may be accepted over another Offer if you are in a multiple Offer situation.

While getting pre-qualified may sound official, simply, it is just knowing exactly what you can afford and much different than a pre-approval. Being pre-qualified means having someone plug in a few numbers that you give them - your monthly income and your monthly debt - and getting an approximate payment calculated. From the payment, the calculator can approximate the house price range that you can afford. No information is verified. Because your assets, income or credit is not verified, a pre-qualification has little value when purchasing a home.

3.) Find a great buyer's agent.

A buyer's agent's job and fiduciary responsibility (meaning legal duty) is to you, the buyer. Before working with an agent, establish if they are a buyer's agent or a seller's agent. After spending a lot of time with a Realtor, it's natural to feel like you're a team. But if they are not negotiating for you, then they are not on your team.

4.) Learn about the neighborhood.
Often times the house you find may be in a neighborhood that you're not familiar with. This is okay, however, you'll have to do a little more research. If you find a house that you like, ask for a list of the neighborhood properties that sold in the last year. How does your home rank? These details will help you with your decision?

Check out the schools - are they sought after? A good school district means your neighborhood will always be valued by families which is a great reassurance to purchase, not to mention the value-add if you have school-age children.

Next, contact the police station and obtain crime statistics? Are they acceptable to you? You can also obtain the crime statistics on the Internet.

Talk to the neighbors. The more people you talk to, the better sense you will get of who makes up the neighborhood and how they will effect your time spent in it.

Check out the location of the shopping, police and fire stations, schools, and air traffic overhead. These are all things that might affect your property value or quality of your life.

5.) Protect Yourself.
Ask your Realtor for a copy of the documents you will be asked to sign if you decide to buy the house. Read them ahead of time so that you'll understand the questions that you will be asked, the things you need to know, and the decisions you will need to make.

6.) Have reasonable expectations.
There is a lot of money at stake. No property is perfect. Understanding and remembering these two statements will help diffuse the negotiation stage, the inspection stage and the closing stage.

Emotions are high for both buyers and sellers. - The seller may have loving memories and years of sweat equity in the house. Maybe they are being relocated and don't want to go. Understanding their motivations for selling will help you appreciate their situation and predicament during these emotional times.

There is a lot of money at stake for all the parties involved (and that includes the realtors) - Just remember that market value (the value of a home) is the price that a willing buyer and a willing seller can agree to. If you cannot agree on a price, ask yourself: Is there something you missed? Are there comparables that support the price that they want? Are there motivations that might factor into the price they are demanding? In the end, does it matter? What is the house worth to you today and what do you think you can reasonably sell it for based on the amount of time you plan to spend in it? Think about the answers to those questions before you make your move.

No property is perfect - Always get an inspection. It will cost three to four hundred dollars, but is money well-spent. The inspector will find problems with the house and make sure that you are aware of them. Some inspectors give you an idea of how to deal with them or when you will need to deal with them, etc. The inspector will have an objective opinion, but you must feel that you trust his/her opinion before making a decision on the inspection report. An example, if an inspector finds a cracked foundation and reports there is nothing for you to worry about - you may want to get a second opinion.

The home buying process is emotional, complex and time-consuming, but it is worth it. Nothing compares to owning your own home in a neighborhood that you chose.

If you want to talk with a Realtor® that will ensure you will experience a smooth purchase, be sure to call one of our HomeLife Real Estate Professionals TODAY!