If you’re buying your first home, you’ll most likely rely heavily on your REALTOR® to walk you through the process – but before you even start looking at homes for sale in Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin or another Middle Tennessee community, these seven tips can help you get off on the right foot. 7 Essential Tips for First-Time Homebuyers Check out these seven essential tips for first time homebuyers: Start saving early Figure out how much home you can (reasonably) afford Check your credit score and take steps to improve it Learn about your mortgage options Find a skilled REALTOR to help you Ask your agent about homebuyer assistance programs Get preapproved for a loan It’s a good idea to run through these tips before you even start looking at homes for sale in Middle Tennessee. Here’s a closer look at each.  Tip #1 for First-Time Homebuyers: Start Saving Early Though you should talk to a financial professional about saving money for a down payment, traditional wisdom says that the higher your down payment is, the lower your monthly payments will be. Ideally, you’ll save up at least 20 percent of your next home’s purchase price to use as a down [...]