As a real estate agent, I regularly came into contact with many would-be first-timehomebuyerswho shared the same misconceptions.

The tips below will help you navigate your first experience and make it as painless as possible.

It’s especially important to be mindful of the pitfalls homebuying process as increasingmortgage interest ratescompound costs.

Here is my hard-earned advice for how to buy a house in 2022.

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1.

Your real estate agent should demonstrate their expertise before you sign anything.

There should be an initial meeting where your needs and goals are discussed.

Remember that you are under no obligation to work with them until you sign an agreement.

Interview different real estate agents and lenders to gauge their experience and see to it you’re compatible.

Above all, you should trust them.

That real estate agent failed to present him with the paperwork Jones needed to make informed decisions.

Eventually, his agent stopped responding to him altogether.

Jones eventually disclosed his predicament to another real estate agent, who was blown away by his story.

Jones was already locked in, having waived his right to a home inspection and no room to negotiate.

The vast majority of first-time home buyers are unlikely to get their top choice.

The more flexible you are, the higher your chance of success.

If you’repriced out of one market, you may need to consider an alternative locale.

Open and closed permits for residential work can give you insight into where commercial development may be going on.

This approach can also help boost your equity over a short amount of time.

This information is typically available through your city or county website.

Your agent should be able to help you find this information, as well.

you could negotiate any parameter when you submit an offer.

If something doesn’t make sense, ask for an explanation.

Know your “contingency elections.”

Jones’s agent failed to fully explain his contingency elections, preventing Jones from engaging in negotiations.

A thorough inspection report can be overwhelming, especially if it’s an older home.

No house is perfect and most problems are addressable.

On the other hand, inspectors are not foolproof.

They won’t be able to get behind walls or move the current occupant’s belongings to inspect.

They also won’t be responsible for any mistakes made or issues missed in their assessment.

It may give you more insight into the state of the home and highlight major red flags.

I hear this from new customers all the time," said Cruz.

“But for some homebuyers, it’s a major hurdle.”

Andprivate mortgage insuranceisn’t always a major expense.

Most people thought their payments would be way higher than they were quoted for.

There is a risk in waiting to save up for a bigger down payment, too.

Even if home prices stay stagnant, mortgage interest rates are on the rise.

Even conventional loans allow you to put as little as 3% down.

But you should never make a purchase you cannot afford.

Check out “How Much House Can I Afford?”

to assess your budget.

The path forward to a new home should be a little more clear now.

check that you want to be a homeowner before you make this commitment.