Buying a first home isn’t always easy, and first-timers sometimes miss out on a place they’ve set their heart on. But more than one-in-ten first-time buyers have missed out simply because they didn’t have home loan pre-approval.

Property values nationally have passed a major milestone with the average home price pushing through the $1 million mark for the first time ever. Have you been putting off buying? If so, here’s how to get the ball rolling.