Maybe it’s just a leftover mindset from renting, where everything needs to be right or it never will be. As a renter, you tend to think of things like flooring, countertops, appliances, and sometimes even paint as basically permanent and set. As a homeowner, for me, at least, I’m happy to get a house where those things may be a little out of date because the price will be lower and I’ll get exactly what I want, one thing at a time (assuming it’s livable as is – I’d probably do the flooring before moving in though!).

Most people who’ve just bought a house will be open to talking a little about their experience, especially since the details of interest to you aren’t really financial ones. I think it’s probably totally acceptable to shoot your coworker an email to say, “Hey, I heard you bought a house recently – any advice for me on what to do or avoid?” She can easily go “No, not really” or open up a dialogue about it then.

-how does your credit score affect down payments & interest rates?
-how long does it take to buy a house (it sounds as painful and red-tape-ish as adopting a child)
-The Future Of The Housing Market
-how much do closing costs & annual repairs & HOAs and all that sneaky stuff actually cost?
-how long does it take right now to sell a house (foorrreevver, also it probably depends on a million factors, right?)
-also other things but i need to finish a memo for work…

Yes, go get a credit report and then talk to a bank you like working with to get pre-approved. You can help by bringing along a copy of your credit report, your most recent pay stub (or offer letter if you just got a new job), and a quick list you’ve jotted down of balances in your accounts.

Definitely ask around to anyone you know (coworkers are great for this) to see what realtor they liked. You might also even ask them if they liked their home inspector, their bank, or any other people they worked with in the closing process. Bonus points if they worked with them in the years since the housing crash.

Also: make sure you are not planning to blow all your savings on the down payment. You will need money for closing costs. You will need money to do all the stupid maintenance things and pay deposits to utility companies and a dozen other dumb things. Home ownership looks like a deal because mortgage (or even mortgage + escrow) payments are lower than rent, but the jerky thing about owning vs renting is the occurrence of sudden, major, non-optional bills due to home maintenance issues. You may still come out ahead if you walk the line between being frugal about maintenance and not letting the home crumble due to deferred maintenance or shoddy work, but it’s a less predictable thing and having some savings is key.