Any first time homebuyer tips?

Question

We are starting to look into buying our first home, tired of renting. Any good programs, tips on down payments, types of loans, tips to save, etc anything is helpful. T.I.A.

Answer

Before you get a house have 3-6 months take home pay saved for emergencies. If you don't have that as soon as you move in the water heater will die, the roof will leak and you'll get termites. You meed a cushion for disasters that WILL happen. 
For a down payment, be sure you have 20% to avoid having to pay for PMI. Get a fixed loan only. Adjustable rates end up getting people in over their heads in a few years when your payments increase. A 15 year loan will have higher payments than a 30 year loan, but it will save you thousands over the life of the loan. 
Keep your payments to 25% of your take home pay or less. The bank will tell you you can afford more. But if you want to heat your house and buy groceries don't fall for that. 
There are lots of online mortgage calculators that will show you how much you can borrow and what your payments will be. Don't forget you also need to pay for household insurance and property taxes along with your mortgage. 
Look at Zillow or something to see estimated taxes and insurance on houses in the area/price range you're looking at to estimate that additional cost.

Answer

The more you can put down the better. I recommend having at least 5% down so you can get a conventional loan. Us and another buyer put in the same bid on our house but we were conventional and they were FHA so they picked us. FHA loans are a hassle.
Find a realtor you like and talk to the banker they recommend they'll be able to guide you through any available payments or assistance that is available to you. 
We had 8% down and I honestly wish we would have rented for another year or so to get more saved or to get a bigger/new house. 
Also, dont settle. Although I wish we had a bigger house, ours has everything we need. Always get bigger than you think you want because you'll change your mind.

Answer

Work with an Exclusive Buyer’s Broker, not just any realtor who buys and sells. The housing market can be unpredictable, so put down as much money as you can to decrease your risk of being underwater (owing more on your mortgage than the home is worth after the market crashes). I put down 15% with a reputable lender who doesn’t require PMI (mortgage insurance) with that down payment. Don’t buy more house than you need and be strong enough to walk away if a home is overvalued! If you’re in a seller’s market, homes may get multiple offers that jack up the price—don’t fall for that! Be patient for a great home with good bones for a reasonable price.

Answer

I'm just retelling what others have but ideally have 20% for your down payment to save on fees. 
You don't have to spend what the bank is willing to give you start looking at houses on the lower end before hitting your max. 
We bought our house in August. It was after the inflated prices of spring and summer and I feel like we got an excellent deal!
Decide now what you would be willing to renovate on your home. Buying a not so nice home will likely cost less and you could update it as you have the money (we just redid our kitchen - it was a big job for us but I'm pretty sure we increased the resale value of our home by like $50,000 for doing it)
Make sure you can afford your monthly mortgage costs. We have a budget for everything and I think our mortgages (we have 2 properties) are about 20% of our earnings. 
Don't go to show homes if you can't afford them!  There's no unseeing their beauty.

Answer

USDA loan was a life saver for us! Look into that and see if any place near you is eligible

Answer

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Any first time homebuyer tips?

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