[onewhippedpuppy]

The biggest key is finding people you trust, at least one. Our first house we purchased from an individual, luckily we had a trusted bank VP that held our hand through the process. Get EVERYTHING in writing, and keep on it. We had our title insurance right after the offer was accepted, as well as the closing date set. If you get everything taken care of and documented, there's no room for any further argument, unless an inspection discovers previously unknown issues. From earnest money to closing was almost two months for us, but it was stress-free, because there was no room for argument. Either of us backing out would have constituted breach of contract, the other could have sued for damages and expenses incurred.

Realtors are like used car salesmen, but in my opinion they're sleazier. They represent themselves as being "on your side", when in reality their #1 priority is to get you to jump at the most expensive house they can. Asking friends and meeting as many as you can is the only way to find a good one, and even then I don't think I could fully trust them.