Deciding to buy a home or property is one of the most important decisions you may ever make.  Before you start looking seriously at property, it helps to sit down and think about what features are important to you. One of the best methods is to make a list of the ten or so features that you would really like in your new home. If you find a property with eight or nine of those features, you have probably found your new home.  One of the most important considerations is location. The DC metropolitan area is filled with many wonderful neighborhoods. There's much exploring to be done!​

A mortgage broker will be the best bet for a variety of competitive mortgage options than a single lender; however, it never hurts to check with your banking contacts. The choices of mortgages are as varied as the houses available. What may be perfect for you may not work for your neighbor. In general, mortgages come in three basic groups: