Your guide to the basics of buying your first home and tackling your new home checklist. Plus, find everything you need to know about hiring a real estate agent, purchasing homeowners insurance, calculating your home mortgage payments, and acclimating to your neighborhood.

Whether you're buying or selling, here are the key questions to ask an agent before saying, "You're hired."

1. How long have you been in the real estate business?
How long has this person been on the job (look for upward of a year), and were they full or part time? While experience is no guarantee of skill, real estate, like many other professions, is mostly learned on the job.

2. Are you a member of the National Association of Realtors?
This organization requires certain standards from its members, and you don't want to worry about having a shady agent.

3. Are you a member of MLS?
This is the Multiple Listing Service, which gives agents access to houses represented by all agencies -- not just their own. For sellers, this means your home will be posted on the list as well, which means more people will see it.

4. Do you work on weekends?
Since this is when most open houses take place, the answer to this should be yes.

5. Can you outline how you would represent us?
The answer should include your housing inspections, following through with your mortgage approval process, and being present at your closing.

6. Will you show me houses listed by other companies?
Double-check that the agent isn't partial to his or her own realty group.

7. Are you familiar with our area?
You'll want the agent to know the ins and outs of your community.

8. How many homes have you sold?
If you're in the market to sell, find out how many homes they successfully sold last year. While those numbers may be low due to market activity over the past six months, it’s a good way to compare candidates.

9. What's your business style?
Do you want a broker who calls you once a week or emails daily? Find out how the agent will keep you updated on prospects and inform them about your preferences.

Get more tips on purchasing a house with our Buying a Home Checklist.
Want to sell your home? Our Selling Your Home Checklist will get you started.

Want to know how much this couple paid for their fab bungalow in Hannibal, Missouri?

Location: Hannibal, MO
Set Up: 3 bedrooms, 1 bath
Style: Two-story bungalow
Square feet: 1791
Price paid: $78,000
The deal: $43.50/sq. ft.

How many homes did you visit and look at?
We looked at about 10 to 15 homes over a span of about two weeks. We searched online, but where we live it’s so much easier to pick a Realtor and go through him or her. In our area, every Realtor can show any home, even if it’s listed by another company.

What was the hardest part about finding your new home?
Where we live, there is a large older home population. The price ranges varied a lot, and trying to find something we could afford that also didn’t require a complete renovation was the biggest challenge.

What was the best part?
We got to look at many different styles in several locations around town. We were able to feel out different neighborhoods. Once we saw the house we bought, we immediately knew it was ours. We went back three more times to look at it.

Was it hard to compromise and find a home you both loved?
Not really. We did a lot of discussing over what we were looking for in a home, and for the most part agreed. We wanted a fenced-in yard, since we have a dog; a covered garage, which is hard to come by around here; and the kitchen was important to my fiance as well. We also wanted space for entertaining and our house provides several rooms that are spacious enough for guests.

Do you have any advice for Nesties who are still looking for their first home?
Don’t settle for anything less than what you truly want. I thought it would be impossible to find a home I loved in the town where I am, but I fall in love with my house more every day. It might be the first house you see or the hundredth, but the best advice I can give is to get a Realtor and actually go into homes. Online searching is helpful, but things do look different when you're actually inside.

What's your favorite thing about your new home? What's unique about it?
We love the large family room. It’s an addition to the original 1915 home. Without it, I think the house would be too small for more than two people. We love our backyard with its brick patio. There are so many decorating ideas that will keep us busy for a few years, I’m sure. We’d love to preserve the home, but also keep it up-to-date as well. It’s a great space if we choose to start a family. As our parents say, "Lots of room to grow!"

Did you just move and want to showcase your new digs? Email justmoved@thenest.com.

I love a happy ending, don't you? This fab London dwelling is actually a converted milk depot (read: factory) from the 1940s when milk was scarce in the country during the Second World War. The building had stood empty and "derelict" for over 30 years when its current owner cycled past it one day. Ken Taylor, the cyclist, was no ordinary passerby; however, he was an architect with a plan.

Taylor bought the run-down factory and completely redesigned it with the help of his architecture firm. Many locals were able to help out with the conversion of the building from warehouse to home, making it a true community effort. Taylor now lives in the newly-two-story building with his wife and uses it as an office space as well.

The couple was able to repurpose many of the building's original materials in their renovation: The cold store's floors and walls became part of the main building's new roof, and old factory machinery was used in the rebuilding process. Keeping true to the building's original purpose as a dairy factory, the couple painted their finished home in ice cream-colored pastels. What a sweet finish!

Click here to see more of the Taylors' London home.

Click here to browse 100s of decor photos.

Photo by Alvhem Makleri & Interior

I should probably start taking Swedish classes, because I can't stop falling in love with apartments I find on Swedish realtor's websites. This latest one to roll across my decor blog transom is located in Gothenberg, which (thank you, Google Maps) is a beautiful seaside city that may very well be my future home. Just look at that apartment! The entryway alone manages to make black-and-white look cheerful -- a theme that carries through the entire apartment's decor scheme.

The black-and-white is accented with vibrant yellow and green, and additional stand-out pieces add intrigue to the apartment's overall look, like the mesh orb light fixture in the living room. The breakfast nook overlooks the outdoor seating area, which is an urban oasis in what is apparently a cosmopolitan Swedish city. Yup, I'm packing my bags. Does anyone know how to say "I'd like to make an offer" in Swedish?

[ Alvhem Makleri & Interior ]

Renters insurance is a seriously cozy security blanket for your belongings -- plus, it helps cover your living expenses in case an emergency forces you to vacate your place temporarily. Keep reading to find out exactly what renters insurance is, who needs it, how it works, questions you should ask before signing on to a policy, how much it costs, and how to get -- and keep -- your costs down!

What It Is

A standard renters insurance policy is a "package" of four categories of insurance:

• Personal property insurance protects your stuff: In the event of a burglary or damage, it helps you replace everything from furniture to electronics. Renters insurance can also protect your belongings even when they're temporarily outside of the home (say, a piece of furniture that's damaged while being delivered).
  
• Liability coverage kicks in if some jerk gets hurt at your place and sues you, leaving you with medical and legal bills.
  
• Living expense coverage will help with your expenses if you're forced out of your home. (Yes...room service!)
  
• Guest medical coverage pays the bills if someone is injured in your home.

Who Needs It

If you think your home is at high risk for, say, a burglary or fire, then it's a no-brainer; but frankly, this type of insurance is so cheap -- and so heartbreaking not to have if you wind up needing it -- that we recommend it for all renters.

How It Works

Your landlord's insurance policy probably only covers the physical structure of your apartment, so don't assume you're fine if they've got one. The benefit limit on a renters insurance policy is usually a set amount based on square footage, the value of your stuff, and a general idea of your lifestyle. You can also add scheduled personal property coverage -- a policy extension that covers particular items.  

Questions to Ask

• Can you add on flood or earthquake coverage?
  
• Is the coverage limit enough to replace fancy things, like furs, jewels, and electronics?
  
• How much is the deductible (the amount you have to pay before insurance will start reimbursing you)?
  
• Do you need a separate policy if you work from home?
  
• How should you inventory your items to prove they existed if something happens?
  
• How will you be reimbursed for claims -- will you get the item's current value or the replacement cost?
  
• Does the policy cover your new place if you move, or will you need to set up a new plan when your lease is up? 
  
• Does the policy protect your stuff when it's in your car, on your body, or at work?

Average Cost

The premiums for renters insurance average between $15 and $30 per month, depending on the location and size of the rental unit and the policyholder’s possessions.

How to Get Costs Down

Install smoke detectors, fire alarms, dead bolts, and other protective devices -- your landlord should chip in. Ask one of your current insurance providers (say, your car insurance company) to give you a quote for other policies you're looking into. Bundling policies can save you up to 15 percent.

Interested in other types of insurance policies? Head over to our money section!