When you're a new home buyer, there can be quite a bit to think about. Let's look at a few pieces of information that will help inform you and make you ready to start your search.

People who are planning to move in the next couple of years are not ideal buyers. Buying and selling real estate is not cheap, so the shorter of time that you will live in your home, the less chance you have of making money on the investment.

The first step in the home buying process is not actually looking at homes. I know it seems like it would be, but you need to get your finances in order first. Since it is likely that you will need a mortgage, you will want to get that squared away first. This will also save you time by making sure you're actually looking in the right price range when you actually do go out shopping. Ask your lender for a pre-approval based on your income, debt and credit.

Have a look at your credit report at least three months before you're ready to buy. This is actually a good time to have your lender do the pre-approval as well, since the lender can pull your credit report for you. She can help you if there are any issues on your report by giving you advice on what to do to fix them.

When your lender talks to you about your finances, be sure to know how much you will be comfortable spending each month for your actual monthly payment, including tax, insurance and home-owner's fees. This is very important, and worth noting, because sometimes the amount for which you qualify, and the amount at which you are comfortable, can be very different.

You may not have to spend as much on your down payment as you think. For years the standard down payment was 20%. Many people still do put that amount down, for various reasons. But you should know that there are government-financing loans available that require less. For example, an FHA loan only requires 3.5% down. As your lender about this!

Be sure to work with professionals. You will have a mortgage broker or banker handle your loan, and be sure to get a great real estate agent to handle the rest. Although it is easy to search for homes online, remember that the entire process encompasses many steps. If most people purchase two or three homes in their entire life, a great real estate agent probably handles the sale of two or three per month.

Once you fall in love with a home, put on the brakes and do some homework. Actually, your agent will do most of this, including pulling comparable sales, talking to the listing agent to see if there are other competing offers and any big disclosures as to the condition of the home. All of these aspects need to be taken into account when coming up with an offer strategy.

Inspect the home! Although you will receive a pile of paperwork full of seller disclosures, it is imperative that you hire your own inspector to give you an unbiased opinion as to the condition of the home. If the inspector uncovers any big-ticket repair items, it may be appropriate to ask the seller to make repairs or reduce the price. Your agent will help you with this.

Please view these sites: San Diego Homes For Sale and San Diego Mortgage Loans.