Don't you hate the first time you make a certain kind of purchase? We've all been in the situation when even the tidbits of advice you have heard over the years don't fully prepare you for the transaction.

The first time I felt this way about a deal was when I bought my first car. I made some goofy decisions and even though I did it half right I still felt like I could have gotten a better deal if I had been through the process before. As my wife and I are exploring home ownership I can't help but think that I am going to feel the same way about our home purchase.

Yesterday I found a great resource which really raised my hopes for taking out a mortgage and buying a home without remorse. The aptly titled article, "How to Get a Mortgage" on Mahalo.com breaks down the process of getting a mortgage into bite size morsels of knowledge so detailed and applicable it should be printed in pamphlets and handed out in front of every bank!

Here are the five categories that Mahalo has on how to get a mortgage:

1. What kind of mortgage to get.
2. Where to get your mortgage.
3. How much to borrow.
   
4. Applying for a mortgage.
5. Closing the deal!

I don't think I can sing the praises of this guide enough. After reading through these five steps and re-reading the parts of getting a mortgage I was unfamiliar with, I now feel like I can make confident and knowledgeable decisions about our home ownership process. All we need to do now is work on a timetable for home ownership and set goals for ourselves!