Whether you're buying your first house or your fifth, a buying a house is a big deal. Not only is it a huge financial investment, it's also an emotional one. This is where you and your family will live every day, and you have to be sure you're purchasing more than just a good deal. You need a place to call home.

Follow this step-by-step process to make your purchase less daunting and more fun.

• Get your Credit in Order - Don’t get a copy of your credit report if you don’t have to, but do make sure your bills are in order and up to date. You don’t have to pay them all in full, but make sure you don’t have any overdue bills or any bills with a collection agency.

• Get Pre-Approved - Ask around and find a reputable mortgage lending company. You have a couple of choices. My personal preference is to ask around and find a local company that will work with you face-to-face. But another option is to use a company that you will find online. There are many reputable online mortgage brokers.

Pre-approval is just the jumping off point in buying a house. Your lender will help you figure out the price range of houses you can afford, and it allows you to make an offer on a house more easily.

If you have money to put down on a house, try to put down at least 20%. If you put down less than that you will be required to pay for mortgage insurance, which is just the bank’s way of making sure they get their money if something ever happens to you. It will add a little extra to your monthly payment, and that’s something you don’t need.

If you have no money for a down payment, not to worry. The mortgage company can help you out. Even if you are getting 100% loan, you can actually borrow what you need for the closing costs on top of the loan you’ll be getting for the house. Talk to the lender about it and you’ll see - it’s pretty easy.

• Get a Realtor - Now, maybe you’re thinking of trying to go through the process without a realtor. That’s certainly your prerogative, and if that is what you want to do, more power to you. I think a realtor can really help you out though. Realtors do more than just show you the good houses. They handle the contracts, help you negotiate the price, and set up the closing. If you don’t know what you’re doing, a realtor will explain it to you in detail.

• Look at all the Options - Look online at all the houses in your price range. Start narrowing down your options, deciding on what you want and don’t want in a house. Make lists of what’s important to you. Number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, extra options such as a pool or fenced yard or new roof. Try to find houses that have something special about them, such as a bonus room or a deck or other extra feature.

Looking at houses is the fun part. You get to visualize what your life will be like in each house. This is the emotional part of buying a house. Can you see yourself living there? Does the neighborhood look like something you’d like to drive into every day? Does it feel like this could be your home?