If you’re thinking about dipping your toe into the housing market, you’re not alone. For months, the real estate experts over at Realtypin.com have been talking about the small, steady strides that housing markets have been making.With home values starting to go back up and mortgage rates still hovering at record-lows, the time to pull the trigger is now!Of course, you can only pull the trigger if your finances are in order.After all, just because prices for homes for sale are low doesn’t mean that it’s “easy” to buy a home. Lenders are being more careful than ever with whom they give money to! So, how do you get everything in order, money-wise, to buy a home?1. Make sure you look good on paperEven if you know you’re diligent about taking care of all your financial responsibilities, a lender is going to want a whole lot more than your word.They’re going to want hard facts to back up your promises. Specifically, they’re going to want to see an income that’s high enough to take care of your mortgage payments every month (in addition to all of your other debts, like your car payment, your student loan payments, your credit card bills, etc.).A lender is also going to want to see that your income is steady. In most cases, two years at the same job will be good enough. Your lender is also going to want to see that you’ve got a good credit score. After all, that’s the only way to prove that you’re as good at paying your bills as you say you are!2. Have your down payment readyIt’s one thing to look good on paper. It’s something else entirely to write a check for 10% or 20% of the total price of the home you want to buy! Lenders have gotten much stricter about down payments in recent years.After all, homebuyers who put very little down (or, in some cases, no money down) played a huge role in the housing bubble’s burst. So, if you want to buy a home, be prepared to put down a big chunk of change!3. Remember the “little things”You may think that coming up with a budget is easy. After all, you’ve been paying rent for years, so just take that money and translate it into a monthly mortgage payment, right? Wrong!In addition to your mortgage payment, you’ll be responsible for the interest on your mortgage, homeowner’s insurance premiums (something your lender will require you to buy), property taxes, and possibly homeowner’s association fees.All of those “little things” will add up quickly, so save plenty of room in your budget!Source of this week’s column: RealtyPin.com.