7 Things Everyone Should Know Before Buying Their First Home

In my 20s, the idea of buying a home or apartment was similar to how I felt about going to college when I was a tween—I knew (or hoped, anyway) that it would happen one day, but rarely thought about it or how I’d plan for it. Now that I’m 30, though, more friends and acquaintances are taking steps toward becoming homeowners—and some have actually achieved it. Impressive, right? But also intimidating as hell.

In an effort to get a little bit of education about what goes into the process of buying a home, I talked to Seattle-based broker Matt Parker, author of The Real Estate Agent Talks and Real Estate Smart: The New Home Buying Guide. I also grilled my friend Sarah who, at age 29, bit the bullet and bought an apartment in Brooklyn. Like me, she was a real estate newbie, so she learned a lot during the process.