So you finally tied the knot! Congratulations! Now, you and your spouse have decided to purchase a place you can both call home. Congratulations again! However, before you go calling a realtor to have them take you house-hunting, there are a few things you should get in order before picking up that phone.

There are some things you need to iron out before you sign on that dotted line for ownership of your first home together, and here are a few of what you should take care of before then:

Discuss, research, and discuss some more – in order to avoid any conflicts regarding your first home, you and your partner should always talk about the important things you want. Do you need it to have a two car garage? How many rooms do you think your home should have? Where is your ideal neighborhood? These are just a few of the things you should hash out before starting your search.

Next thing you need to do is to research. Find homes you like online and in magazines. Once you have a compilation of homes that you think are suitable for both your wants and needs, you should then sit and discuss again, using what you researched as references and ideas for your first home.

Get your finances and financial options in order – this means that you need to take care of your credit record in order to buy a home. Debts must be paid off, finances and savings assessed, loan options reviewed, and budgets set. You need money to buy a home and, unless if you are financially well-off, your biggest chance for getting that dream home is through a home loan.

Stick to your budget – sure, that fourth house you looked at is a “dream come true” for you, but your budget says otherwise. Do not stubbornly stick to one home you like, and not consider the others that you come across even when you know your budget won’t allow it. Open yourself up to other options, and stick to what you can readily afford in order to avoid financial issues with your new home.

Find a good realtor - this is one thing some newlyweds neglect to do. They sometimes end up with a realtor they do not get along with, and all because they did not do their research when it came to these professionals. Try to locate a good agent you can rely on, and check out their credentials, as well as services. Some of these pros have websites you can visit, like Guamrentals.com, which offers you some insight on how some realtors can help you and what they can do for you.