If you look at as, your buying a building and a chunk of dirt, it’s a lot easier to keep your head than if you look at as “I’m buying the home of my dreams, to raise the best family ever!”
As other’s have said don’t buy the most house you can qualify for. Consider your minimum requirements, then look for something a little above/beyond that.
The seller pays the realtors. Never forget who they are working for.
Look for stuff to bitch about that will be cheap and easy to fix. Either the seller will agree to fix it, or you can use it as a bit a lever to work the price down.
Some sellers may include a home inspection and/or warranty. Change this to “you will reimburse me for such.” You want that home inspector working to please you, not the seller. Ditto with any appliances that will be replaced as condition of sale. If they want to put a price cap on it, fine, but you get to choose supplier, installer, etc. etc.
In a really nice neighborhood, and has a beutiful, Martha Stewart yard? OK, guess who gets to maintain that suckah? If you don’t like gardening, etc. either budget to pay landscaping company, or look for not-as-classy neighborhood.
Go take some walks through the neighborhood at various times of day, weekend, etc. Good way to get a feel for a place. People are much more likely to talk to you if you have a friendly dog with you. Maybe borrow a friend’s dog.