Buying your first home can be full of both excitement and anxiety. While you might be ready to take the leap, there are many moving pieces to wade through. One of the first things to do is decide where to move. What does that location have that you're looking for? This first-time home-buying guide can help.

In New Canaan, Connecticut, you'll be surrounded by a rich history, quiet neighborhoods, top-rated schools, and a lively downtown. Kiwanis Park provides residents with a swimming spot and basketball court in warmer weather. In the winter, Mead Park is the place for ice skating. No matter the season, New Canaan has an extensive array of shopping, dining, and a little bit of something for anyone.

Once you know where you'll buy and feel confident the location and property have what you're looking for, you can focus on the complex yet vital pieces of the homebuying puzzle.

You might finally feel ready to purchase your own home, but you must be financially ready, too. Research shows 29% of first-time homebuyers say that saving for a down payment is the hardest part of home ownership. Being a first-time homebuyer gives you access to many homebuyer programs and loan options to overcome that obstacle.

In Connecticut, first-time homebuyers could utilize the Teachers Mortgage Assistance Program or the Program set up for Veteran and Military service members if these options apply to them. There are many national programs to check into, such as HFA, FHA, or USDA loans. Any program you can use typically requires you to take a homebuyer's education program, which can be very useful for first-time homebuyers as they can teach you how to be best informed through your journey and keep your finances in check after you own your home.

Once you clearly understand what resources will be available to you, what your budget is, and have your finances in a good place, you can get pre-qualified for a loan. Remember that this is your pre-qualification; it does not mean you'll be approved. But, with this, you can set your price range and prove to the seller that you can pay for the home. Without this step, you risk getting your heart broken because a house you love is not within your budget.

By doing this, you can determine your most important priorities when buying your first home. For example, you'd want a home with office space if you work remotely. What size yard would work for you? Would you prefer to have a home that is more energy efficient?

These questions are important because once you get a real estate agent, you'll be able to communicate these wants and needs, and they'll be able to find what you need when searching for you.

Home buyers need to work with a real estate agent no matter the stage in their homeownership. It is their job to help you along this process, and they can make things so much easier for you.

As a first-time homebuyer, a real estate agent with experience in first-time homeownership would be ideal. They'll have specific knowledge of the market as it pertains to you, and they'll be able to advise you on certain things that relate directly to first-time homebuyers. They can help craft an attractive offer for sellers.

Even in a buyer's market, finding your next home takes longer than some might hope, so patience's important. If you are not patient, it could cause you to choose a home you do not want and end up with buyer's remorse because you did not want to wait.

Over the last few years, first-time homebuyers comprised 26% of all homebuyers. Within that time, 64% of homebuyers between the ages of 25-40 report having at least one regret about the process or the home overall.

Be patient and allow the process to work. Trust that your real estate agent is working diligently for you and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

While a home inspection is not required, the buyer must have one done. Your home inspector will look for various issues with the house, such as the foundation, faulty wiring, or an HVAC system that will need work sooner rather than later. In some cases, lenders will not approve your loan without one. They absolutely will not approve a loan without an appraisal.

With a home inspection, you can have an inspection contingency which lets you back out of the sale if the inspection fails without any issues. With this information, depending on the problem found, you can use it to counteroffer the price of the home or negotiate the need to have it repaired first.

With a home appraisal, your mortgage lender has the appraiser value your home through various methods, such as home size or quality. The lender wants to assure themselves that you're not overborrowing.

Knowing that you're about to close on your first home can be very exciting, but buyers should do one more thing before signing the final papers and taking the keys.

On the day of closing, the buyer should do a final walk through their prospective new home to ensure repairs were completed and no new problems have cropped up. You also want to see if anything that was stipulated to stay in the home is there. If it is missing, you can address the seller about it.

Becoming a first-time homebuyer should be a process that allows you to enjoy the idea of finally owning your own home. This can be achieved by teaming up with a realtor like Laura Danforth. With prestigious awards such as the top excellence award in customer service, she will also utilize her experience and local knowledge to find your dream and make it a reality. Contact Laura today!

_{*Header photo courtesy of Laura Danforth}