Most buyers I work with aren't interested in investing time going to home buying workshops etc. From my experience the people who do attend are buyers who have the time and interest in educating themselves about the entire process. Not every buyer wants to be educated in this way, they just want to buy. I refer a lot of people to this site if they're thinking of buying around Seattle http://www.seattle.gov/housing/buying/eligibility.htm, you may find some direction there. As far as who you choose to work with (a real estate agent) I believe the two most important elements of all are (a) are they listening to you and (b) do you trust them. Then, do you have compatible communication styles. I think you'll find once you get started that the mountain isn't as high as it looks the closer you get to it. Buying a property and making it your home isn't something most people do all the time, so have fun and enjoy the journey.

Related to your question, once you get to the point of making an offer and doing a home inspection, BE SURE TO HAVE THE SEWER PIPE VIDEO INSPECTED in addition to your standard home inspector. As someone who works for a company that repairs sewers, I can tell you it can get crazy expensive. And it's worth it to spend the $200 for the video inspection to find out if there's $5,000 (or more) worth of repairs. Thing is, most folks don't know they have a broken sewer until it backs up, right? So the only way to check the condition of the line is to send a video camera down. I've been surprised to learn that many real estate agents don't really know about this service or recommend it to their clients, so I'm helping to spread the word. Once you're at the offer/inspection stage, you may be feeling overwhelmed and over-burdened with fees, etc, but it is still a REALLY good idea to hire someone to video inspect the sewer line.

We're in a similar situation, looking to buy in the next five-or-so years. We recently got a car loan through our credit union - BECU - and they offered a lot of help and advice on how to start planning for a house/property buy (much of the same stuff mentioned by the other answers). As members and now loan holders, we look like great to BECU and now have a good relationship with them. I recommend doing something similar: forge a relationship with a lending agency now and let them help guide you through the process. If use a credit union instead of a bank, you'll be more likely to feel like their interest is in your interest. Good luck!

A while ago I got really into reading personal finance blogs. I loved those stories if people who pay off grad school & a house in ~ 4-5 years by extreme saving and extreme working.

What you can start doing is start living like you are paying a mortgage. If your rent is only $800/month and your prospective mortgage will be $1500/month, increase your housing expenditure right now to $1500/month and put the extra money toward your downpayment savings.

It could be prudent to add the cost of upkeep to your idea of the cost of home ownership per month:
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/07/15/building-a-home-maintenance-and-improvement-fund/

Maybe downgrade your living situation for a year or two prior to buying to save money.

The 1st thing to consider is why you're doing it. If you enjoy the idea of having your own yard and want to raise children someday and think that a home is a good place to do that, then I'm sure the others gave you good advice on how to go about the process of saving and fixing your credit.

However, if you are doing this as an investment, then you really need to determine if this is the best investment to meet your long-term investment needs and goals.

1. The investment in a home will eclipse all your other investments exponentially. You've heard the term don't put all your eggs in one basket? Well, buy a home and welcome to the basket.

2. Homes are not terribly liquid, and buying and selling them costs a considerable amount of money. If there is an emergency and credit is as restricted as it is now, converting your investment into cash has a very long latency period.

3. The Stock Market is a better investment, over the long haul, than the average Single Family Residence. (rare books are actually the best investment, but that takes a certain esoteric knowledge to enter the market).

4. Renting is not throwing money away. - for the most part, 100% of your 1st 5 years of mortgage payments on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage are interest only payments. @35% of that is recoverable via tax deductions at the end of the year, but the cost of your insurance, utilities, etc is not, and depending on where you live, there are also high taxes and escrow fees to consider as well as PMI insurance if you are unable to achieve a 20% down payment.

Rent is much less than all of this, even with the tax deduction. If you take the difference and put it in a more diverse investment portfolio each month, you'll be in a much better position than a home buyer would.

I'm not saying that buying a home isn't the right thing for you, but if you're just doing it so you can get on the road to the American Dream, you might consider that there are different paths to the same finish line.

I've heard good things about Homestead Community Land Trust - they have classes and can help you make a plan to buy your first home. Even if it's not your thing, they do have some good information on their site. The Washington State Housing Finance Commission also has free homebuyer education seminars.

My parents have lost two houses to foreclosure so I'm pretty leery about buying a house. I think it's really important to consider the worst-case scenario, and make sure you have money saved for emergencies (including unexpected home repairs) and have insurance that will pay for your living expenses if you lost your job or were injured. It really sucks to lose all your equity and have to start over with shitty credit, which is why I don't want to buy a house until all my debt is paid off and I have a good chunk of money saved up. Of course it's different if you have family that could help out, but I'm not that lucky.

We took a class offered through Highline Community College. They covered all kinds of useful stuff--various types of financing, cleaning up your credit record before you apply, how you can (and can't) put together a down payment, working with an agent (and knowing who they really work for), the closing process, etc. Plus, it qualified us for something like a 1/4 percent discount off our mortgage.

If you Google "first-time home buyer classes Seattle" you'll get all kinds of links to courses like this and agencies that offer them.

Start saving every scrap of cash that you can. It may take a while to get to the point of puchase, but the more money you can save, the better off you will be. Plus, being able to point to your ability to save will help in scoring a favorable loan rate, etc.

Well you are probably already looking at redfin.com for listing and they offer great classes for first-timers. usually their classes are free. There are also books (yes, i own a copy of house buying for dummies) which help. I got tremedous assistance from a windermere agent who was very patient in explaining things and seemingly didn't mind that it took me a year to finally say yes. good luck.

The saddest OMG! stories I have heard are from people who hate where they live vs what they bought.

If you are going to be renting for at least two more years before buying a home, try to rent where you are most likely to buy. Get to know the area intimately before making a huge investment there.

One of the biggest problems for 1st time buyers is they rent an apartment in a trendy place, a place where they could never afford to buy a house, and then start choosing house based on the "it" vs the "where".

Look at homes on the internet and target areas that have homes you will likely be able to afford when the time comes. You can use 3X gross income as a general rule of thumb for this purpose.

Spend a lot of time in advance choosing the right where for you. People who know exactly where they want to live, are usually much better off in the long run.

With alarms - I think it's the window stickers that make all the difference anyway...

I had one in my old house and used it in the beginning - then didn't use it unless I went away for a trip. I did accidentally set it off a few times & it's quite the scare.

One thing I did like with the alarm, is that the alarm company will wire fire alarms to your house alarm system - so the smoke alarm makes the house alarm go off - which is loud and will surely wake you up. I did like that safety feature.

Yes! It is indeed piece of mind. You don't have to pay for an alarm service to have an alarm. An alarm going off insures that a burglar will quickly leave your house without taking absolutely everything of value. And false alarms are super rare in homes. Also, you can but install yourself systems that call your cell phone when they are tripped. You can install them on doors or windows or motion activated. You will have break ins on Cap Hill - get one.

I just keep electronics out of view from burglars, and the "good stuff" in a safety deposit box outside the home.
I agree with your idea of good locks and any security measures that would slow a burglar's access to the inside of your house or create attention to the burglar's presence (motion-detecting sensors, for example.)

If you do get a dog, please understand that a dog isn't just a security accessory: it needs love, training, attention, food and frequent exercise, otherwise it may just bark to drive your innocent neighbors batty or provide sound cover for a burglar breaking into someone's house. You want your dog to be an EFFECTIVE burglary deterrent and not a public nuisance.

I also agree with you that a handgun isn't a good idea. If you're not home when the burglary happens, the handgun could be stolen, which is what happened to a neighbor down my street. If you are home, you might be asleep at the time of the burglars' entry, in which case the advantage goes to the side that is awake and alert.

West Seattle, Beacon Hill, or Columbia City. Good luck on your house hunting!

I live on Beacon Hill. I had an alarm, but got broken into anyway. The thief got away with my laptop and digital camera. Beefed up the alarm with a motion detector. The same guy broke in again, but it scared him off and he didn't get anything. Police caught him with fingerprints he left on my cable box from the first time. He did some time in jail and cannot come within 500 yards of my house. I'm happy that I got the alarm, but don't be cheap - get the motion detector as well. I sleep a lot better with my alarm on, especially with the "instant" feature that will go off if someone opens a door. It rarely gets set off accidentally. Even my not-very-techy BF can work it. Highly recommended. Getting broken into sucks and I'm still traumatized by it. The alarm helps my mental health and, as proven, has saved me from losing more valuable items.

An alarm system and good locks is worth it. Learn how to use it, and you won't have the user errors mentioned earlier. Alarm systems also alert the fire department, and some can even be configured to detect flooding. You should also receive a discount on your insurance.
But most break ins are crimes of opportunity, ie, the occupant left the door unlocked. Even an inept crackhead will be gone by the time the cops arrive. But at least he will not have had time to clear out the house.

I lived in the house with an alarm (linked to a company that notified the police) and I fucking loathed it. On numerous occasions, m father would arm the interior motion detector when I was still at home and I would get a near heart attack when I came down for breakfast. We also got several false alarms (requiring the cops to come out) because the front door would blow open if you forgot to lock the deadbolt. Once the cops came out because my father (again!) set the interior motion detector when he had a house guest (whom he didn't tell about the alarm, let alone give the code to turn it off). If it had been up to me, I never would've set that fucking thing.

A neighbor at that time had an alarm that didn't notify the cops. One week they went on vacation, something set off the alarm, and it went off for days until they came back, and everyone on the block got to listen to it, day and night.

I think house alarms are about as effective for security as car alarms (i.e. not at all), but they are as effective at making everyone hate you.

Get a German Shepherd and call it good.

Proto's anecdote not withstanding, as someone who spent an inordinate amount of time with stone cold thieves I can tell you that the only thing that they say deters them from robbing a house is a dog. They do not target houses with private security guards,etc. of course, but they did not seem overly concerned with the security systems available to regular folks. Contemptuous of them, even.

My experience with the habitually criminal of this ilk is about 25 years old so things may have changed...

I have a dog. A big black vicous looking SOB (literally!) who terrorizes the crack/meth heads in our alley regularly. My family and I love him. He seems to have an innate understanding of who is trouble and who is fine. got him from a pound. The only reason I feel like I even need to lock my door is that someone may mistakenly open it and be greeted by 100+# of teeth.

He is unusal in one other way- He also seems to have an instinctual understanding of using a kind of escalation of violence based on the situation. I don't know, but maybe he was trained quite a bit before I found him. I have no idea what breed he is.

In short; get a dog. Even a small one so long as it barks like mad when strangers approach.

I agree with the Protosaurus on the facts and Misty on the emotional side. Most of all I agree with you... there is no greater deterrent than a dog.

The one thing no burglar will want to deal with is the noise and potential danger of a dog.

My experience with alarms is basically the same as Protosaurus, they don't get used after a while (although there are exceptions) and when they do get used they are not that different from car alarms (i.e. ignored). Best thing to do is get the alarm sticker and put it on your door (which is the same as getting the alarm and not using it - but cheaper) and get a dog!

Please do not get a nasty dog. Even a furry friendly dog will be a good deterrent. I had a sheepdog if ever there was a dog you wouldn't be scared of she was it - still people coming to the house without malicious intent got scared when she started barking and one time a cop who came to the house pulled out his gun and pointed it at her (jerk).

First of all, I am so sorry to hear that this happened. I assume this was when no one was in the house?

I don't have any data on whether alarms actually prevent crime. My hunch is that they do not. These guys are drug seekers, and therefore whack, ie not thinking rationally.

However! You know what is worth spending money on? Peace of mind. If your wife really will feel more secure with a stoopid alarm system and you can afford it, I say go for it. Another thing worth money? Marital harmony. If the little lady wants this, and feels traumatized from having your home broken into, it's worth doing the thing that will help her even if it's not all that reasonable.

An alarm system for her, and a dog for you.

How much do those alarm systems cost anyway?

Again, I'm so sorry.

Keep an open mind on how to buy your house. There are other options than a traditional real estate agent that can save you quite a bit of cash. Assuming you're smart and able to do some of the legwork on neighborhood research, it might be a good option. Check out www.walawrealty.com. They're real estate agents and lawyers -- they do a flat fee, but you get 100% of their commission back!

Madison Valley in the Central District & the surrounding area are Gay-friendly and have great access to the arboretum and walking trails for dogs, plus it is walkable (with effort to get up the hills) to Capitol Hill for books, food, drinks etc. Look for apartments or duplexes north of Union, between 15th and 36th. You will meet tons of people because of your dogs.

I think the Ballard/Greenwood area could be a good fit for you; rents there CAN still be pretty reasonable, and it has a housing stock with many small-ish houses, some of which are sure to be rentals and may be your best bet for large dog acceptance and readiness.

Ballard is very walkable with bus connections to downtown and the U.district. It's also along the Burke-Gilman trail (great for walking/jogging/biking), which will take you to Golden Gardens park (with off-leash area) one way and in the other direction, a bike-able distance to Magnuson Park (home of the city's most terrific dog park, I think). Ballard has a handful of small pocket parks, a nice library branch, and a very "urban village-y" feel with lots of small shops (including bookshops!) and restaurants, great supermarket and farmer's market, and (like most of Seattle) all very laid-back (like a colder, rainier Hawaii?) and gay friendly.

Good luck with your moving/house hunting!

Wherever you wind up living in Seattle you should familiarize yourself with the recent controversial death of a dog on a Seattle sidewalk. The dog was electrocuted by contact voltage from damaged or inappropriately installed street lighting equipment. Now that City Light is being pressured to survey the entire city more locations are being found. Please read this blog and news update site setup by the person that had to witness their dog die before their eyes.

http://sammysbigheart.wordpress.com/

It's best for your dogs to have enough play area, or a great walking area. I can't think of a gay-unfriendly area in Seattle. I looked at craigslist and saw dog-okay listings in your price range for the following neighborhoods: Mathews Beach, Greenwood, Queen Anne (closer to downtown).
Listings like this are sweetest for you. To satisfy your bookworm nature, look at Seattle Public Library website for a map of neighborhood branches.
Also try oodle.com: had better success finding places you might like there, because oodle.com has a filter to make Seattle the exact location.

'Zone defense' for sure: heat the areas that are used. Get smaller space heaters - don't depend on the stock heating system to do what you want...

1. A big one: We got a lemon because our inspector missed a shit ton of problems and we didn't yet have home-buying instincts. We found him through our realtor. Next time I'd use Angie's List, and I'd have two separate inspections from two separate companies, which would have saved us a _lot_ of money in the long run. I'd find my realtor on there, too.

2. For that matter, get an Angie's List subscription. Do a search for coupon codes first and you can get about a third off the first-timer price. The site has found us some excellent contractors, from handymen to blinds installers to dryer vent cleaners.

3. Minor suggestion: Get a home warranty for the first year. It's a relatively small price (ours was something like $300) that pays at least a portion of the cost of many of the things that can break. Ours paid itself off and more on a new water heater and a new dishwasher (both were very old, and crapped out soon after we moved in).

4. Like others have said, neighborhood is crucial. You'll be living here a while, and the whole time you'll have to make that commute every day (imagine rush hour traffic flow from work to home and vice versa), go to the grocery store, live next to those neighbors, deal with crime. We looked at a beautiful house, with a tree-filled backyard, that was surprisingly cheap while also not far from the city. Unfortunately, while it wasn't at all rural it was on a weirdly isolated street right next to a house with a Dino Rossi sign on the lawn and the nearest store 15 minutes away. Living there would've made for a lonely existence. Along the same lines, if you want local friends to visit, don't move an hour away from all of them.

5. Don't get anything you can't afford. Things _will_ go wrong, and you'll either have to pay to get them fixed or live with water damage or pests or foundation cracks or whatever. Take your time choosing, and don't be pushed into anything. We were lucky to be able to fix up our lemon, but that doesn't always happen and you shouldn't feel like you got sucked into something you can't handle and can't get out of.

6. I'm not sure what you need in terms of space and bedrooms, but extra space is nice if you want to have friends and family stay with you without cramming them into your storage/office/guest room. On the other hand, if you're lucky enough to get more space than you need, don't go buying things to fill that space; it's a waste of money and makes moving later even more of a pain. And before you moved in you were able to live with what you had, so don't rush buying extra lamps or guest beds or whatever--take your time and look at Craigslist, poach from friends who are moving, etc.

I'm sure I can think of more, but this is plenty long already. Good luck!