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 Determine Your Needs' List 

Once you know your desired area, begin to "zoom-in" a little bit. Ask yourself if you want to own a house, a condominium, or a townhouse. Do you want to live in a subdivision, on a golf-course? As you continue to zoom-in on what you would like, it helps to give your real estate agent as much information as possible with regard to your desired home, so they can give you as much qualifying information as possible. It may help to make a list of your needs, what you do not want, and what your wants are for a home. Some of the items that would fall on the list of needs are number of bedrooms and bathrooms, garage, basement, yard with a fence, separate dining room, amount of storage space, etc. When considering the amount of bedrooms and bathrooms, remember that if you are in a situation where your family might grow, make sure you look at homes that would fit your future situation. Also, keep in mind that 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom homes sell more quickly than 2 beds, 1 bath, or 2 beds, 2 bath houses.

The floor plan of the house is also important. Do you want the master bedroom on the main floor, or upstairs? Do you want a powder room? Do you need a 2 car garage? Is the yard big enough for pets and is there a good fence around it? Do you want an exterior deck or a screened-in porch?

Depending on your skill level and abilities, you may want a house that is ready-to-move in, with all necessary upgrades and renovations. Or, you may want something that you can invest money and time into fixing up and remodeling yourself. Are the appliances old or new? Is there carpet, tile, or hardwood floors?

The number one thing that homeowners look at when buying a home is kitchens and bathrooms. Make sure to be specific in those two areas when determining what you want. The exterior of a house is another important consideration. Do you want brick, wood siding, vinyl siding, or stucco? Do you want lots of windows with natural sunlight, or more interior lighting?