Editor’s Note: The following content is a paid advertorial.

When you’re ready to purchase your first home, it can be pretty exciting. But without someone to help guide you through the process, it also can be fairly stressful. After all, it’s a substantial investment in your future — essentially, a savings account you sleep in.

If you’re ready to dip your toes into homeownership, the first step is to talk to a lender. This is where you can get approved fora certain amount of money to spend, the type of loan that will best suit your needs and discuss any upfront costs, such as earnest money, down payments and closing costs.

Then it’s time to find the right home to fit your budget and get it under contract. Once you’ve reached that step, you’ll need to deposit the earnest money with the title company to secure the contract. At this stage, an inspector will be hired to give a detailed report on the home’s condition, which will trigger a new round of negotiations centered around whether certain repairs should be done before closing or considering a price reduction.

Once the negotiations are complete, the lender will do an appraisal to ensure the house is worth the price for which it is under contract. If not, more negotiations happen.

Purchasing a home is the first step in your wealth journey, but it doesn’t have to be an anxiety-ridden process with the right person by your side. As a teacher and a nurse, we excel at educating people through the entire home-buying process.

We have helped hundreds of people buy homes, streamlining the process as much as possible while still providing a high level of communication so buyers always know where they are in the process. It’s a truly joyful feeling to see people feel secure in their new homes and getting the privilege of seeing them flourish.

Contact Dean & Amber Klempke at 573-424-4236 or theklempkes@gmail.com.