Know What You Are Looking For:

Before you start your home-buying quest, it's important that you have a good idea of what you are looking for. Often what one spouse wants is quite different from the other spouse. It's very important that you communicate before you start your search, or you're likely to end up with buyer's remorse or worse. Is it important to you to be close to schools, shopping, or hospitals? Is it more important for you to have a 3-car garage or an extra sewing room? How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you need? I suggest making a "Wish List" and letting the sky be the limit. Make sure each person in the family gets to add their items to the list. Then, after making a list, take some time to carefully prioritize the items on the list. When it gets down to two or three homes that you are interested in, you can compare them to your prioritized list to see which one best meets what you really want and need.