Here's another trap to avoid when buying real estate. The first step in this process is to find yourself a good real estate agent. Often people will recommend an agent to you by saying, "well you need Jane Doe because she has more listings than any other agent."

Jane Doe may be a very fine real estate agent. But if she has so many listings does she really have enough quality spare time to work with a buyer like you? Chances are she is going to spend most of her time trying to sell her listings where she makes the most money. She'll make less money working for a buyer like you so you'll quickly be her second fiddle.

You want a real estate agent who will make you first fiddle, not second fiddle. Keep looking. There are a lot of good real estate agents out there and if you interview enough of them you'll find the best one for you.