Before you start to look for a new home, you need to talk to a mortgage specialist and find out how much you are comfortable spending. Many people think they know what they can afford and start out looking, fall in love with a home and find out it is not in their price bracket. Every other house never compares to what they wanted. The best approach is to look for homes that you know you can afford and a experienced realtor will always make sure you are looking at homes you can have!