My advise to new buyers  is  before you look at homes  to buy go get pre-qualified for a loan. With  mortgage defaults and foreclosures on the rise, lenders are going back to the basics which is full documentation loan. What this means is that if you are a buyer and  are applying for a new loan then you must have good credit (FICO scores), show proof of income with W-2’s,  1099’s if sell employed, and have sufficient money for a down payment (10 % of the purchase price). I also would advise new buyers not to be house rich and cash poor. What I mean by this is do not stretch your ability to make monthly payments on your home. Keep within a budget. The old rule of thumb was that you should not have a mortgage greater than 2.5 times your annual salary. Another  way to look at it is thr0ugh income to debt ratios. Your mortgage payment should not exceed 28% of your annual income or 36 % of total debt which includes not only your mortgage but other living expenses (i.e. utilities, insurance, auto, food).