Try at least two lenders to get a fair picture of your status Get a mortgage quote from at least two potential lenders. This will help you to get a more accurate picture of maximum amount that you can receive from a lender. Once you have that settled, you can start to narrow down types of homes and neighborhoods that you can afford.

You can search for lenders online To get started, go to any major search engine and type in “mortgage quote” and you will get some very good results. Sort through listings and find a site where you enter some basic information and get quotes from multiple lenders.

If you’re not sure that you want to start looking on your own, you can consult a financial planner, mortgage broker, real estate agent or any other type of Real Estate and Finance professional and they can point you in right direction.

Keep away from bad investors A good attorney can also protect you from bad investors since they are less likely to want to go through legal process if they don’t have your best interest in mind.

Not all loans can be secured on a shared equity basis. Check with your lender to see what they will allow before you try to make a deal. Your current or potential lender will be ultimate guide when it comes to your ability to get a shared equity mortgage. If your lender does allow this type of arrangement, they should be able to give you a quote for some other type of financing.

Not a good option if you are a control freak You should also remember that one of best advantages of owning a home is sense of independence that you get from controlling property.

If you are not willing to give up that independence perhaps you should consider getting money as a gift or a personal loan instead of bringing a third party into your housing arrangement. Once you enter shared equity mortgage contract it cannot be easily dissolved unless property is sold or one partner buys out another.