Making Moves: Buying a Home

Buying your first home just may be the most important (and intimidating) investment decision of your adult life. But before taking the leap, it's important to evaluate all the factors before signing on the dotted line.

In this chapter, we cover:

• Determining if and when you should buy

• The cost of buying a home and ways to help you prepare financially

• Mortgage basics and the process for securing home financing

• A step-by-step checklist for finding, assessing, and closing on your future home

• Common mistakes for first-time homebuyers and ways to help you avoid them

• Questions to ask before signing on the dotted line