Most people buy a home without really thinking through all of the important little details.  There are many factors that should go into the decision to buy a home.

The first step is interviewing agents to find the right one.  There are some very important questions to ask potential agents, including how long they’ve been doing real estate and what their ratio of list to sale prices is.  These elements can help you find someone that will help you find the perfect home!

Along with selecting the right agent, it’s best to talk with the bank early on about getting approved for a home loan.  Knowing upfront what price point works for you can keep you from falling for a home that you can’t afford.

Once you’ve selected a real estate agent and sorted out a home loan, the next step is to make a list of all the qualities that you desire in a home.  There should be three columns: all of the qualities that you desire, all of the things that you absolutely need in your home, and any qualities that you refuse to settle for.  Once you have a more clear idea of what you will and will not accept in your future home, you are ready to start viewing properties.

Something that many people forget to do while house-hunting is to bring a notebook and camera along to every single viewing.  The reason this is so important is that it’s very easy to forget all of the important details of a property that you saw three houses ago.