So, you want to buy your first house, do you?

No, not that kind of House. This kind:

We think that sounds like a great idea.

But where do you start?

You can talk to a real estate agent…

Or you can start your search on the Internet.

You go with the Internet, but there are SO MANY choices.

Which neighborhoods are safe?

Are the schools any good?

Will you be a hundred miles from anything?

After a little hunting, you finally find one that looks just perfect.

And it’s off the market (of course).

That’s okay—there’ll be another. You find one and call an agent to go see it.

It ends up looking nothing like you thought it would in person.

So you go back to searching the Internet.

Eventually, you resign yourself to the fact that you’ll need to make some sacrifices.

After what seems like an eternity, you find thehouse for you.

Now it’s time to get pre-approved for a loan.

The bank puts it faith in you, so now you have to put in a bid.

The seller accepts! We bet you were worried there for a second.

Now comes actually getting the loan, not to mention the escrow process.

There’s seriously more paperwork than you’ve seen in your entire life.

You’ll sign so much of it that your hands will be almost unrecognizable.

But it’s all worth it, because the glorious closing day is here at last!

And you finally get the keys to your new home!

Of course, then you realize you still have to buy furniture.

• About the Author

  

  Randy spent the last dozen or so years writing about video games for publications like PSM and Nintendo Power, but now he's decided to get "serious." That's why he's helping create a blog that wraps houses in bacon and explores the history of toilets, naturally.

• http://www.movoto.com/blog/real-estate-tips/26-steps-of-home-buying-in-animated-gifs/