12 Steps Every Potential Home Buyer Needs To Take

For most people, buying a home is the biggest purchase they will ever make. Despite (reasonable) fears that it will always be out of reach, there's hope in the numbers: The percentage of millennials buying homes has been on the rise in recent years. A 2016 report from Zillow found that half of all homebuyers in the United States are under the age of 36, with 47% of them being first-time buyers.

But if you do want to get your piece of the American Dream, where do you even begin? We asked Priya Malani, founder of Stash Wealth, for step-by-step tips on navigating the home-buying process. While each experience is different — especially depending on where you live and how much you have to spend — these guidelines should help set you on the path to having your very own home. The process of buying your first property is obviously a major commitment that goes far beyond signing on a dotted line. But with a little bit of planning, the right information, and a trustworthy team, this seemingly insurmountable process can be manageable.