You've been saving for awhile, weighing your options, looking around casually. Now you've finally decided to do it - you're ready to buy a house. The process of buying a new home can be incredibly exciting, yet stressful, all at once. Where do you start?

Budgeting for a new home can be tricky. Not only are there mortgage installments and the down payment to consider, there are a host of other - sometimes unexpected - expenses to add to the equation. The last thing you want is to be caught financially unprepared, blindsided by taxes and other hidden costs on closing day.

The asking prices of most homes on the market indicate the current state of the market, and usually mirror the prices for which other similar homes in the area have recently sold. In deciding upon a selling price, a home-seller must establish a balance between the desire to draw the highest offer and finding a price that will be reasonable enough to attract an appropriate pool of prospects, and competitive offers. While most selling agents counsel their clients to consider this equation when pricing their home, keep in mind that some homes are not properly priced.

Whether seeking solace, activity, schools, churches, or green space, every homebuyer looks for a different combination of attributes in a new community. Choosing a neighbourhood that suits your needs and wants is one of the most important decisions you'll make in the home-buying process; your choice of environment will affect the way you experience your new home.

Each homebuyer has different ideas of what will constitute the ideal home for them, these notions often based on particular aesthetic preferences. But one thing that unites all potential homebuyers is the desire to find a home that is fundamentally sound - in areas beyond the immediate sweep of the eye - and that will provide a safe, comfortable, and efficient foundation for their life behind a new door.

t's official: you've signed the papers, dotted all the i's and crossed the t's - you own a new home! You've almost reached the end of your journey. However, now, faced with the daunting task of moving, it may seem as though the journey has just begun. Moving can be a time-consuming and stressful experience if you let yourself be overwhelmed by the job. Remember, though, having a successful move means taking care of the details, one by one. If you break the process down into steps and arrange your time accordingly, you can make it manageable.