Get started by researching the home buying process and perusing properly listings. This will help you get an idea of what type of property you'd like to buy, and what kind of financial goals you need to set.

Use an online mortage calculator to figure out how much you can afford to spend on a house. Consider purchase price, down payment and monthly mortgage payments.

Sit down with a professional to determine how much the bank would likely lend you, and adjust your financial goals if necessary. Use this opportunity to get pre-qualified and pre-approved for a home loan.

Meet with several real estate agents to see who would best serve your needs. A good real estate agent should advise you on the home buying process, provide local market insights, and help negotiate your offers.

By now, you should have a list of criteria that has helped you refine your property searches. Start attending open houses based on your agents's search results.

Once you find a property that best matches your criteria, work with your real estate agent to make an offer to the seller.

Once you enter escrow, arrange for a property inspector to identify any issues that need to be addressed and set a contingency pertaining to the inspection. That way, you are protected under the contingency in case anything problematic is identified in the inspection report.

Sit down with your lender to secure your interest rate and finalize the mortgage loan option that works best for your financial goals. Your lender will work with a title company to manage the paperwork, as well as arrange for an independant home appraisal.

Once the seller receives a check from your bank, the deal is closed and the house is offcially yours! Get your keys and revel in the fact that you have just become a homeower.