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My partner and I had been in the house not more than five minutes before I turned to our real estate agent and said this—practically yelled it.

The house was a tall, two-story affair that was almost 100-years old. I’d seen the French doors and old growth timber floors online, but they looked better in person. So, I turned to our agent and made my proclamation.

I thought she’d turn to me and yell “Sold!”, we’d high five and be able to move in the next day. But, as I’d learn over the next few weeks, buying your first house is never as easy as saying “we’ll take it.”

There’s a lot of home buying advice out there, and everyone who’s been through the process learns something different. Here are the 10 things I learned when buying my first home.

You can see it now. You’re enjoying a leisurely brunch in the sun-soaked breakfast nook in your brand new home. It’s completely perfect, but just a daydream until you buy the house. Envisioning your life as a homeowner is exciting, full of promise and anticipation.

Finding your next home and discovering all the blissful possibilities of having more room, the perfect kitchen, or a new lifestyle suited exactly to your personal taste is an exciting endeavor. But such a quest may also bring with it a host of stressful challenges, not the least of which are the hidden costs of buying a home.

But fear not, you can do it. Even if you’ve never owned a home before—with a determined mindset and some thorough preparation, you can face down those hurdles associated with buying a home and make your way to the finish line. One key to achieving your goal is to do your homework.

If your summer plans consist of days spent by the pool, catching up on a juicy summer read, we’re jealous. If you’re in the market for a house, you may want to consider swapping your easy beach read for the real estate listings.

As the weather heats up, typically so do housing markets—nearly nearly 40% of housing sales occur between April and July . Nice summer weather can not only make it easier for real estate agents to show a house, but it can also simplify the process of moving since you don’t have to deal with snow, ice, or any wintery complications.

Before you head out to the plethora of open houses, consider these tips for navigating the summer home buying season.

While it may seem obvious, it’s worth repeating: When you put your house on the market, you want it to sell quickly. Case closed. But how do you make the magic happen?

Real estate agents know the real deal—curb appeal wins the day. First impressions matter to potential buyers, and that may mean completing some renovations before putting the house on the market to help it sell with speed.

If you’re interested in improving your home’s resale value, what project should you choose? Renovations can have varying impacts on your home’s value, so it might be worth doing a bit of research. The best value-boosting projects can change from year to year, depending on the economy, demand for raw materials, and buyer preference.