Buying your first home is perhaps the largest and most important investment you’ll ever make in your life, which is made all the more daunting by the fact that most new homeowners have little to no idea where to begin when it comes to the tense negotiating process. Failing to negotiate properly could result in financial calamity for a cash-strapped homeowner, but learning how to become a master dealmaker is often easier said than done.

By preparing yourself well ahead of time, you just may avoid getting scammed. Here are 5 tips for negotiating your first home.

1. Pay attention to how long the house has been on the market

The first thing you want to do when surveying a prospective new home is determine how long the house has been on the market. If the house has only recently been put on the market, you have every reason to believe it may become a hot-ticket item that could generate a bidding war sooner rather than later. Houses that have been on the market for some time, however, especially those which have been for sale for over 90 days, could very well be devoid of much consumer interest and thereby vulnerable to your stellar negotiating tactics.

The longer a house has been on the market, the better chance you have of striking a good deal. Your negotiating stance will certainly be improved if it can be proven that few other buyers are interested.

2. Ask about a home warranty

Home warranties can go a long way towards saving you money if something goes wrong inside of your house, and the various types of coverage you can receive differ greatly if you’re looking for a specialized warranty. Learning the ins and outs of home warranties before buying your first home is thus highly recommended if you’re feeling like an amateur when it comes to the housing market.

3. Know how to conduct a house inspection

It won’t matter how much money you spend on your dream home if you don’t conduct a house inspection ahead of time, as failing to do this could result in your being blindsided by an unexpected yet avoidable travesty. Finding mold, animal infestations, or other problems well ahead of time could be the deciding factor which turns you away from a home you’d otherwise be financially committed to.

Consider reading up on what to look out for before walking into your prospective property with a blind eye towards potentially ruinous traits.

4. Learn how to avoid bad deals

You can avoid some amateur mistakes by learning how to avoid bad deals, which entails reading up on the errors of others. Familiarizing yourself with housing negotiation mistakes is the only surefire way to avoid succumbing to them yourself, so don’t hesitate to do your homework before breaking out the checkbook.

Making a bad deal won’t just impact your financial status, it could bring about havoc in your marriage, too. Some homeowners sign such atrocious deals that their personal lives are never quite the same and require the help of marriage supplements like vibrating cock rings to get back on track.

5. Understand the importance of “the ask”

Perhaps the most important tip for negotiating your first home is to simply understand the importance of the ask – if you don’t ask for something, you’ll never get it. The worst a realtor or previous homeowner can do is say no, so never be afraid to ask or make a bold claim in the negotiating process. You don’t want to get too far ahead of yourself, but sometimes asking a risky question can end up saving you huge sums of money over the long term.