Buying Your First House Checklist Official

She opened a fresh page in her notebook and titled it: Chapter 1: The Foundation (Preparation)

"Okay," she whispered to her cat, Barnaby. "We’re doing this. But we’re doing it right."

She interviewed three Real Estate Agents . She chose Sarah, a woman who knew the neighborhood's "bones" and didn't mind Maya’s endless questions about plumbing. Chapter 3: The Quest (The Search) buying your first house checklist

Sarah sent Maya listings, but Maya had her own "Must-Have" vs. "Nice-to-Have" list.

She didn't trust the online calculators. She sat down and figured out a mortgage payment that wouldn't leave her "house poor," making sure she still had money for groceries and, occasionally, a nice bottle of wine. Chapter 2: The Gatekeepers (Pre-Approval) Before Maya even looked at a porch, she called a lender. She opened a fresh page in her notebook

She found it—a craftsman cottage with a blue door. Her heart raced as Sarah drafted the offer.

The "Under Contract" sign went up, but the work wasn't over. She chose Sarah, a woman who knew the

Maya walked through the house with a pro who pointed out a fussy water heater and a drafty window. She used this to ask for a small credit at closing.