Buying a house can be an exciting and emotional process. Before starting your home search, you’ll want to understand the ins and outs of the homebuying process. This will empower you to make decisions that are the best for your family — and your wallet.

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Based on mortgage and home-price trends, it’s a relatively good time for potential homebuyers. There are opportunities to lock in an affordable mortgage because experts believe interest rates will stay low this year. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage hovered below 4 percent in early January.

Home prices, meanwhile, aren’t getting any cheaper. Annual home price growth is expected to increase by 5.6 percent by September 2020. Waiting too long to buy might mean getting priced out of more-desirable neighborhoods.

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