Buying a home is perhaps the single largest pay for most of us will make in our existence, and it is a pain in the butt if you're doing it for the first time. Most first-time home buyers will feel eager but with a hint of agitation and vulnerability. But we say that buying your first home does not have to be lurid. In fact, buying your first home is a cathartic learning experience. Just follow these tips.

One of the biggest regret of first-time home buyers is trying to buy outside their means. This will cause numerous problems. So if I were you, know you budget and stick with it. This way, you won't have to worry about mortgage defaults.

Get to know the surrounding places. If you have children of school age, you'll want to stay in a place near the school or recreation areas. Also take into consideration you workplace, social acts, the church and other interests.

You want to make sure that the house you want to bag is in order. To make sure, set a personal visit to the house. Contact with the home seller. Check the house for any problems. Make sure also that all the facilities are not malfunctioning. This way, you wouldn't have to worry about the problems if you're already living in the house.

Research the status of the real estate industry. This way, you can figure out if the price that was given is reasonable and is practical. You will also see different information about foreclosures and short sales. Consider taking a personal day during the week to tour available homes for sale. Not only can this put you ahead of the game, but you can get a feel for certain neighbourhoods at their most active.

Your goal is to buy home, but you want it to be the home you want. Don't settle for a place because the price is right or because it's the only one available. Listen to your intuition as you tour a house and ask yourself if this is where you want to spend the next thirty years. Learn everything you can about every potential property - needed repairs, history of the previous owners, did they have pets, etc.

You can ask the seller to pay all or a portion of closing costs as part of your purchase negotiations. These costs include taxes, title insurance, financing costs, mortgage points, prepaid or escrowed items - such as homeowner's insurance, private mortgage insurance, and real estate taxes - and related fees.

Keep your focus, negotiate with calm, and you may find the home buying process isn't painful at all.