What's the secret to a successful home buying experience? Find out how to "nail it" with the following home-buying secrets.

Don't Make Big Purchases
It's not prudent to make any huge purchases or move your money around three to six months before buying a new home. You don't want to take any big chances with your credit profile. Lenders need to see that you are reliable and they want a complete paper trail so that they can get you the best loan possible. If you open new credit cards, accumulate too much debt or buy many expensive items, you will have a difficult time getting a loan.

Get Pre-Approved for Your Home Loan
There's a big difference between a being pre-qualified and being pre-approved for a mortgage. Anybody can get pre-qualified for a loan. Getting pre-approved means a lender has looked at all of your financial information and advised you of how much you can afford and how much they will lend you. Being pre-approved will save you a lot of time and energy so you are not running around looking at houses you cannot afford. It also gives you the opportunity to shop around for the best deal and the best interest rates. Do your research: Learn about junk fees, processing fees or points and make sure there aren't any hidden costs in the loan.

Do Not Try to Time the Market
Don't fixate on trying to time the market and figure out when it is the best time to buy. Trying to anticipate the housing market is impossible. The best time to buy is when you find your perfect house and you can afford it. Real estate is cyclical, it goes up, it goes down, and it goes back up again. Therefore, if you try to wait for the perfect time, you are probably going to miss out.

Bigger Isn't Always Better 
Everyone's drawn to the biggest, most beautiful house on the block. However, bigger is usually not better when it comes to houses. There ia an old motto in real estate that says don't buy the biggest, best house on the block. The largest house only appeals to a very small audience and you never want to limit potential buyers when it is time to re-sell. Your home is only going to go up in value as much as the other houses around you. If you pay $500,000 for a home and your neighbors pay $250,000 to $300,000, your appreciation is going to be limited. Sometimes it is best to is buy the worst house on the block, because the worst house per square foot always trades for more than the biggest house.

Don't  Forget About the Sleeper Costs of Owning a Home
The difference between renting and home ownership is the sleeper costs. Most people just concentrate on the mortgage payment, but they also need to be aware of the other expenses such as property taxes, utilities and homeowner-association dues. New homeowners also need to be prepared to pay for repairs, maintenance and potential property-tax increases. Make sure you budget for sleeper costs so you will be covered and won't risk losing your house.

Don't Get Caught Up in Emotions 

Buying a house based on emotions is just going to break your heart. If you fall in love with something, you might end up making some pretty bad financial decisions. There is a big difference between your emotions and your instincts. Going with your instincts means that you recognize that you are getting a great house for a good value. Going with your emotions is being obsessed with the paint color or the backyard. It's an investment, so stay calm and be wise.

Home Inspection is a Must
Would you buy a car without checking under the hood? Of course you wouldn't. Hire a home inspector. It'll cost about $200 but could end up saving you thousands. The sole responsibility of a home inspector is to provide you with information so that you can make an informed decision to buy or not to buy a house. It is really the only way to get an unbiased third-party opinion. If the inspector does find issues with the home, you can use it as a bargaining tool for lowering the price of the home. It's better to spend the money up front on an inspector than to find out later you have to spend a significant amount on repairs.

Practice Smart Bidding
Your opening bid should be based on two things: what you can afford (because you don't want to outbid yourself), and what you really believe the property is worth. Make your opening bid something that is fair and reasonable and isn't going to offend the seller. Many people think they should go lower the first time they make a bid. It all depends on what the market is doing at the time. You need to look at how much homes in the neighborhood have sold for, and the average price per square foot. Sizing up a house on a price-per-square-foot basis is a great equalizer. Also, see if the neighbors have plans to put up a new addition or a basketball court or tennis court, something that might detract from the property's value down the road.

Today, so many sellers are behind in their property taxes and if you have that valuable information it gives you a great card to negotiate a good deal. To find out, go to the county clerk's office.

Also, sellers respect a bid that is an oddball number and are more likely to take it more seriously. A nice round number sounds like every other bid out there. When you get more specific the sellers will think you have given the offer careful thought.

Get a feel for the Neighborhood
Before you buy, get the lay of the land - drop by morning noon and night. Many home buyers have become completely distraught because they thought they found the perfect home, only to find out the neighborhood was not for them. Drive by the house at all hours of the day to see what's happening in the neighborhood. Do your regular commute from the house to make sure it is something you can deal with on a daily basis. Find out how far it is to the nearest grocery store and other services. Even if you don't have kids, research the schools because it affects the value of your home in a very big way. If you buy a house in a good school district versus a bad school district even in the same town, the value can be affected as much as 20 percent.