If you've considered buying a home after renting an apartment or condo for several years, you will probably need to overcome several psychological barriers to become completely comfortable with the process.

Long time home renters might feel uneasy about the idea of buying their own home. This is because buying a Minnesota home is much more complicated than the renting process. Homebuyers are obliged to apply for home insurance, pay for monthly home maintenance costs, and settle real estate taxes and fees. It might seem daunting at first, but anyone can be more comfortable with the home buying process by knowing more about it.

Ask your realtor for information regarding all payments involving homes you are interested in. Ask about maintenance costs, average fess and taxes and organize all information in a spreadsheet. Organizing these data will give you a bird's eye view of the total and monthly costs you have to pay for. It is highly recommended that you use a digital spreadsheet so that you can easily compare different homes side by side.

Buying a home also means you are buying into your local community, according to writer Ilyce Glink, author of '100 Questions Every First-Time Home Buyer Should Ask'. Owning a home in a particular community may require you to pay for local taxes and other services that you do not have to pay if you are renting.

You would also need to research about the tax benefits that come along with owning a home. There are more tax advantages in owning a home than with renting - but the exact benefits depend on one's income and total real estate property tax due per year.

If you can work out your tax benefits to include all of your deductions and current income level, you'll have a fairly accurate idea of what the total tax benefit of owning a home will be for your particular situation. It may be a good idea to work with an accountant or financial advisor for assistance in this area.

Finally, think about your future for the long-term. Are you intent on staying in a specific neighborhood for the next five years? For the next ten years? Where do you see yourself living 30 years from now? One of the biggest psychological benefits of renting is the 'temporary' mentality and ease of moving. Since you can choose to rent a place on a month-to-month basis, sign a short term lease or just renew from year to year, there is a sense of freedom involved with renting.

Owning a home is suited for people who can commit to settle in a city or neighborhood over the long-term. If you are serious about buying your own home, it would be best to decide on where you want to live or re-locate first in the long run.