1) Know your price range/what your comfortable spending each month on a mortgage payment, and get a Pre-qualification letter from your lender BEFORE you start house-hunting. Shop around and try out both well-known banks and smaller banks/brokers you may not have heard of! Different lenders have different fees, interest rates, etc. 2) Get in ASAP when a house goes ACTIVE. I am seeing homes in the in-town areas going under contract in the first 24 hours and appointment times FU