Lining up your Home Purchase Loan is one of the most important first steps in the Home Buying process. Before starting your home search, it is important to understand the total costs involved in buying a home, and additional monthly costs that can affect your overall mortgage payment. If you are limited in cash resources, it might make sense to find the mortgage programs with the lowest required down payment. Negotiating to have your closing costs paid by the seller is another way some home buyers save upfront costs. Even if you do have the down payment, it is sometimes possible to get a credit from the seller, often up to 3 percent of the purchase price, towards your closing costs – enabling you to buy down your mortgage rate and enjoy a lower payment, or increase your purchasing power by making a bigger loan more affordable.