But buying a home can also be stressful -- especially because you're making a major financial commitment and you'll need a lot of money to purchase a property even if you get a mortgage. Set a realistic budget Buying your first home can be a challenge because you need to save up money for a down payment, and you will become responsible for mortgage payments for the first time. You don't want to devote too much of your income to housing, nor do you want to try to buy with a very small down payment, so you should be realistic about how much you can afford.