NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee is near the top of a list that most people want nothing to do with.

Video: Tenn. 12th In Nation In Home Foreclosures

As a Realtor for Crye-Leike, Cindy Fey-Stanton spends her days helping homebuyers locate the right piece of property.

The only down side is that she specializes in the division of selling homes that have been abandoned and repossessed -- something that is becoming all too common in Tennessee.

The state is now ranked 12th in the nation for foreclosures.

“After they foreclose on a property and it's repossessed, I go in, market the property and try to sell it for them,” she said.

“There's a large degree of responsibility in being a homeowner, but at the same time, it allows me a sense of comfortability that I’m investing money rather than just spending money on a rent,” said Chris Grainger.

Grainger is buying a house the right way by setting a budget, shopping around and finding a mortgage broker that will help him stay within his means.

“A good mortgage banker, a good real estate agent is not going to put you into more house than you can afford,” said Wells Fargo loan officer Roger Gore.

But many people have been doing just that. It's important to remember, just because residents qualify for a certain loan amount, it doesn't necessarily mean they can afford it.

“You have to look at your entire monthly budget: house payment, car payments, all your other debt and find a number that's really comfortable for you. Many lenders will tell you that you can afford probably more than what someone really needs to spend,” Fey-Stanton said.

More than 21,000 homes in Tennessee were foreclosed on in the first six months of this year.

Experts said though it's rare, the bank does have the authority to start the process after just one missed payment.