How much home can you really afford?

One of the first questions prospective home buyers should ask themselves is how much of a mortgage payment they can afford. Realtors and lenders can help them with this assessment and other parts of the home-buying process. They have years of experience and know the local market, so they can answer any questions people might have.
"In order to best represent a buyer when purchasing a home, I recommend the very first step is to get prequalified with a local lender," said Tammie Bell, broker assoc