What new home buyers should know beyond the $8,000 tax credit

I helped the reporter with the list. He did not use my quote: "Buy what you want. You would never buy a size 10 shoe if your wear a size 6 even if it is a great bargain."

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clipped from www.dispatch.com Yes, there's still time to take advantage of the first-time homebuyers' tax credit, but you'd better hurry. A home purchase must be completed no later than Nov. 30 to qualify for up to $8,000 in tax credit. As you begin the search for your first house, here are 10 things you should know. Helping us compile the list were Cindy Flaherty, director of homeownership with the Ohio Housing Finance Agency; Theresa Hill, a senior homeownership counselor at the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission; Kimberly Knight, an agent in the Bexley office of Coldwell Banker King Thompson; Angela Murphy, a partner in the Revealty real-estate firm; Terry Penrod, an agent in Real Living HER's Metro office; and David Zambo, a loan originator with Park National Bank. SEEK GUIDANCE KNOW YOUR BUDGET TALK TO A LENDER PICK A REAL-ESTATE AGENT BEWARE OF BARGAINS THAT MIGHT CAUSE GRIEF KNOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD GET AN INSPECTION KNOW WHAT THE HOME WILL REALLY COST GET MORE HELP UNDERSTAND THE PAPERS THAT YOU'RE SIGNING