When considering whether to buy a new home, the first thing you should ask yourself is whether you actually are going to live there for a long time. If not, then it would be more practical to simply rent a home instead. Take note that the cost of buying a home is not the purchase price only. You would have to take care of the appraisals, the real estate agent fees, the closing costs and the paperwork for completing the purchase. There's also the maintenance cost to think of.   The next question you need to ask yourself is whether you can afford the purchase. The rule of thumb is 250% of your annual salary. But you may have to assess whether you are heavily in debt at the moment or not. You would have to pre-qualify too to make sure you can actually get mortgage for the home once you find one. To ensure you can get it, you should also check your credit record months before so you can correct any inaccuracies and fix any other problems.   Of course, you should check out the house you are looking to buy. The appraisals and inspections would help you ascertain the condition. But aside from that you should also make sure that it will be safe for you and your family. If you have children you should choose a home that is near good schools. Even if you don't have yet, this will make the house more valuable and even attractive to future homebuyers if you decide to sell later on.