I’d love to be the person who can tell you why a car squeaks when you drive it and who could fix it.  But as time goes by and I haven’t developed those skills, I’m coming to grips with the fact that it probably just isn’t in my wheelhouse. It’s not that I couldn’t learn, it’s that I’d rather focus on and learn about other things. There comes a point with your personal finances when you need to decide what you’ll do and what you’ll pay someone else to do.

For most Americans, their house is their most significant asset. But it’s also the most personal one. There's a lot of emotion inside those four walls. If you want to buy your first or next home, it’s crucial to have a game plan going into it. Here are a few principles to consider when it comes to buying a home.