Are you tired of cramped apartment living? Do you yearn to own your own house where you can paint and decorate however you want? Homeownership is a major dream for many people, but it is one that doesn't always get realized due to perceived difficulties with the entire process. But buying and owning a home doesn't need to be complicated, so long as you take things one step at a time. For your first step, you should know how to even start the home buying process. Some things that you should be aware of include the following. 

1. Separate bank account: In order to buy any homes for sale, you're going to want to pre-qualify for a mortgage. The first thing that you'll want to do is to make sure that you have enough money for a down payment. Some people put this money into their main checking or savings account, but it can be all too tempting to dip into that money if it's just sitting there. A separate account will help keep you from spending it, and it'll be easier for any potential lenders to see that you are able to be frugal with your money; something that can be essential to getting a loan.

2. Credit report: You can check your own credit report at many sites online for free. This is something that you should do before you start looking for any homes for sale. Checking your credit report will allow you to see if there are any discrepancies or unknown items that may be adversely affecting your credit score. For instance, it's sometimes possible that an account opened by someone with a similar social security number to yours can wind up on your credit report due to an accidental typo. Once this mistake has been removed from your credit report, your credit score may change for the better, potentially resulting in a better mortgage rate from your lender.

3. Storage unit: Although you don't want to start completely packing up your home before you've even looked at the local homes for sale, you may want to consider finding a storage unit for at least some of your items. Locating larger storage units can be fiercely competitive in some areas, meaning that they may not be available when you do need one unless you've already rented one ahead of time. Since your home may need minor renovations before you move in, having somewhere to keep your belongings temporarily can be extremely useful. Right now, seasonal and rarely used items can be packed up and stored away until the time comes to move them into your newly-purchased house.