Just did it.
I dont know how your experience will go with a wife, ie female. I just drove down the street with the realtor (Find a hot one, they will make the experience more fun and not so stressful) and pointed at the house I wanted and said, lets put in a bid and get it inspected. First one didnt work out. 45 minutes after figuring that that one did not work out, I had a bid on a second. I cant see it going that smoothly and stress free with the wife figure. All in all, its an easy process, a lot of signing papers.
Just find something you like and get a quality inspection. Mine was 300 bucks but worth it. Also, negitiate a tone of things. Its a buyers market now, not a sellers. You can get a lot of things paid for if you ask. Worst case they say no.