This post was originally published on mortgages.com. Buying a home can be overwhelming. But if you break it down in to smaller bites and take it one step at a time, it becomes much more manageable. Here's how to get started: 1. Make a plan: Decide how long you plan on staying in your home. That will help you decide how large a home you should buy (think about needed room for any kiddos you might have a few years down the road), what neighborhood you might be interested in, and if you even want to buy a home at all. 2. Check your credit: The better your credit is, the more likely you are to get a better interest rate on your loan. You can check your credit score at www.annualcreditreport.com. If your score's not what you hoped, there are some ways to raise your credit. 3. Decide how much house you can afford: Our mortgage [...]