First and foremost, visit your friendly banker or a Mortgage broker and get pre-qualified or better still get pre-approved. They will advise you how much of a mortgage you can afford and with that info you can pre-determine the price range you will be shopping for. When you find a great deal, you can negotiate with confidence.

Secondly, get a Realtor you can trust that will represent you as a buyer's agent. I wouldn't deal with a Seller's Agent. Their loyalty rests on the Seller and would like the highest price for the property. Your buyer's agent can do a lot for you, even checking out the neighborhood and the property you're interested with. And they are free-of-charge!

Thirdly, take your time. Prices are going down like crazy!. I just attended a seminar on Short Sales and Foreclosure and the statistics are staggering. There will be a lot of distressed sales during the next few months. You should be able to get a good deal if you are pre-approved.

Fourthly, you don't need an attorney. Between your Realtor and the Escrow company, you don't have to worry about any legal stuff. The Real Estate forms are very well-written and tested in the courts. Just make sure you ask the Realtor to explain all the paragraphs before you sign the offer.

Good luck, even though you don't need it. It's a buyers market right now if you're not in a hurry.