Congratulations on considering purchasing a home in the Twin Cities! This guide outlines essential steps to navigate Minnesota’s vibrant real estate market successfully. Whether you’re a first-time buyer or looking to relocate, these steps will help you move forward with confidence. Step 1: Check Your Finances Before diving into the home-buying process, it’s crucial to understand your financial standing. Begin by assessing your credit score, which plays a significant role in determining your mortgage options and interest rates. A good rule of thumb is to aim for a credit score of 700 or higher, as this can help you secure more favorable loan rates. However, don’t be discouraged as there are loan programs such as FHA that are available to buyers with lower credit scores. Next, evaluate your income and debts to calculate your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio; ideally, this should be below 36%. You will do this by dividing your total monthly debt obligations by your monthly income (Example: Ter...