In the often-complex world of real estate, homebuyers and sellers are naturally curious, and agents are trained to help them navigate it. If you're a first-time buyer or a repeat buyer who needs a refresher, you may have some questions about how deals are done.

Generally speaking, the entire home-buying process should take between four and six months. While that might seem like a long time, depending on a number of variables, including how picky you are about where you live, how competitive your local market is, and more, it might be shorter—or longer.

Step 1: Check your credit

Average time: 1 day to 2 weeks

Is my credit score good or bad?