I'm going to buy a house, I could use some help!

[XTRazzer]

A couple of things come to mind, same as I told my brother who is looking right now in Akron, OH...

Some day you have to sell the place. Be it five years, ten years, or more. Location helps here as does a good school system. You buy a home at a point where it needs windows, roof, siding, kitchens, baths, and so forth it will take you longer to get the costs back and profit when selling. Also consider how good you are at doing home repairs yourself and how much time you want to devote to it.

Townhouses and Condos are not the best investment in Ohio as they usually cost around the same as a house. In other markets townhouses and condos offer a lot of space at a good price plus the HOA or equivalent helps with maintenance. Each has it's pros and cons but typically a townhouse or condo sits on the market longer.

Get at least two home inspections. Don't sign a waiver releasing the inspector from liability. The other option is to have one inspector and then get a friend or family member that knows houses to have a look at it.