Here's a tip for the home buyer who wants to avoid a lot of grief.

When you find that house you've been looking for, you'll want to insist on a home inspection. Now this is important. Don't let a realtor or mortgage company provide you with a home inspector. Hire your own. They're easy to find. Just look in the yellow pages, or look online. Hiring your own guarantees that the inspector will represent your interests and not someone else's.

Now, make your offer on the house contingent on the home inspection results. This can keep you out of a contract on a house with a faulty roof or one with other major problems that you didn't know about.

Before committing yourself to a realtor or real estate company, do some shopping around. Visit several web sites to compare different programs and people. Comparing is what gives you the knowledge to make a good judgement.