Searching for your first home is so exciting, but it can also be a little overwhelming, especially if you're not sure what you want. The best thing you can do to find the right home is create a house hunting checklist to narrow down your search. Of course, you want to identify how many bedrooms and bathrooms you need, but we're talking about things like school district, neighborhood, crime rating, etc. 

Before working with a realtor, here are four tips to narrow your search for your online house hunting checklist.

The process of buying your first home is exciting. It’s also complicated. But a good REALTOR® can guide you every step of the way to help you understand the process. By interviewing at least three real estate agents, you’ll have a better chance of finding the right one for you. This will give you confidence throughout the rest of your homebuying experience.

The process of buying a home is essentially the same as it's always been. But when there are a lot of people who want to buy and not enough homes for sale, there is more competition for the homes that are available. As a result, interested buyers must make their decision, provide an offer, and write a house offer letter as quickly as possible.

You might be thinking, "A letter? I don't remember my parents needing to write a letter to buy their house." That's because they probably didn't have to. House offer letters are a new aspect to the homebuying process, but it's only necessary in a very competitive housing market.

Are you almost at the end of your current lease and thinking about apartment hunting? Before you begin searching for another short-term option, you may want to consider a more permanent housing solution — buying your own home!

Yes, you can afford your own home. And there are many resources to help — including the Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity Homeownership Program.

Are you planning to buy your first home in 2019? Congratulations! Homeownership is a goal for many people, and house hunting can be fun and exciting. But, like any other major purchase, it’s wise to do some homework before you start shopping. Are sale prices trending up or down? Are most houses selling quickly or staying on the market for a while? The answers may determine where you look for a house, and even what time of year you start shopping.

Wendy Harris is a giver. She gives her time, her talents, her knowledge, her friendship, her physical labor, and even her money to others in an effort to make someone's life better, to make the world a better place.

From September to mid-June, Wendy works as a social studies teacher at Metro Deaf School in St. Paul, where she also teaches braille and technology to DeafBlind students and coordinates the DeafBlind club. During her summer breaks, she volunteers at Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. We are honored to have the support of volunteers and donors like Wendy. Here's her story.

Because buying a home is a big (and exciting!) investment, many people have questions about the finance part of the process. A common question we hear is, "Can I buy a home if I have collections on my credit report?" Fortunately, the answer is yes. But it depends how much money you owe and what type of debt it is.

Here are some things you should know if you have collections but want to buy a home.

When you think of Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity’s Homeownership Program, you might imagine a family buying a volunteer-built home for an affordable price. But there’s a whole lot more!

Bare trees, fallen snow, and cold temperatures don't usually make you think of house hunting, but maybe it should. While spring and summer remain the busiest, most popular times to buy a home, there are several benefits to buying a house in winter here in Minnesota.

As a Gold Standard Radon Resistant Builder and January being National Radon Action Month, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity encourages all households to test their homes for radon. Here are some facts and links to find out more about radon, courtesy of the Minnesota Department of Health.