BUYING a house is one of the biggest investment one will ever make.

Consumer Line spoke to JP Farinha, a general manager of Property24.

Here are his 10 hottest tips for first-time home buyers.

• Save for a deposit. With a deposit, you will be in a better position to secure a home loan from a bank.
• Check your credit profile. Having a good credit score will stand you in good stead when it comes to applying for a home loan. If your credit score is not in good shape, start taking steps to rectify it.
• Work out what you can comfortably afford and don't over commit yourself financially. As a general rule you should look at spending no more than a third of your monthly income (after tax and deductions) on your monthly bond repayments.
• Over and above your bond repayments, keep the additional costs of home-ownership in mind. These can include utility fees, rates, taxes, levies, homeowners insurance and maintenance expenses, all of which will push your monthly costs up.
• Location, location, location! From both resale and lifestyle perspectives, it's always better to buy a reasonable home in a good area than a cheaper home in a bad area.
• Freehold or sectional title? These are the two main types of properties available and both have advantages and disadvantages. Choose which is more suitable to your lifestyle, taking into account immediate needs as well as a long-term perspective.
• Find your perfect home online. Online property aggregating websites, such as Property24.com , list properties from a multitude of estate agents on one website, giving buyers a convenient and comprehensive view of what is available on the market at any time.
• Do your homework. Don't make an offer on the first property that catches your attention. Once you've narrowed down your search and decided on the area that you want to live in, make sure that you see a number of properties on the market in the same area to ensure that you are getting good value.

There are also tools available, such as Property Values on Property24.com, which give you the ability to see suburb trends and recent sale prices in the area.

• Get a professional home inspection. If there are any serious home defects, you could end up with very costly repairs on your hands.
• Negotiate and read the small print. When it comes to making an offer to purchase, everything is up for negotiation.

Once you have settled on the terms and conditions of the purchase it is advisable to have an attorney go over the contract before signing on the dotted line.