You’ve decided that it’s
time to own your first house. Maybe you’re tired of throwing money away on
monthly rent payments and want to build equity in something tangible. Or maybe
it’s just a feeling of independence--being your own landlord, so to
speak--which you’re hoping to get from being a homeowner.
Whatever your reasons, you
need to do some thinking and deciding before you buy your first home. And the
learning curve for first-time buyers can be rather steep. But don’t be
discouraged. There is help available for you, and you can also help yourself by
following some simple suggestions for resolving many issues before they even
come up: