Another rising trend I've seen in recent years is the number of house buying seminars being offered by real estate agents and mortgage professionals. I'm actually glad that this is a rising trend, because in the past there has been a lack of consumer education on topics related to buying a house and applying for a loan.

I think that today's real estate agents and mortgage lenders realize the need for consumer education, especially in light of the recent mortgage fiasco that helped send the country into a recession. The best way to find an event like this in your area is to do an Internet search with your city name and the words "home buying seminar." You should be able to come up with something.