you can trust your agent’s advice on price, contingencies, and other terms of the deal: it’s a mutually beneficial relationship. the more collaborative you are with your agent, the more quickly you’ll be able to move. if you’re high-maintenance, a real estate attorney can explain the documents to you so you’re familiar with their vocabulary when you’re ready to pull the trigger on an offer with your agent. as the buyer, your offer will include an offer price. to get a mortgage, you have to make a down payment on your loan. for conventional loans (as opposed to government loans), making a 20% down payment enables borrowers to avoid having to pay private mortgage insurance (pmi), a monthly premium that protects the lender in case the borrower defaults on the loan. your lender will help you determine what the best down payment amount is for your finances. depending on the type of loan you get, you may even be able to put down as little as 0% on your mortgage.