Finding the perfect house for you and your family can be a great deal of fun when you are armed with realistic expectations, patience, and plenty of research in hand. With just a little preparation, you'll be well on your way.

The first few steps include narrowing your choices down to the neighborhoods you like and determining the maximum home price you can afford. You may be pre-approved for a loan, but you still need to consider other possible expenses, including retirement and college savings, vacations, and home maintenance and repairs, when you calculate how much you can afford for a monthly payment. Do not forget homeowners insurance and property taxes.

Once you have narrowed down your choices, prioritize your needs versus your wants. You need three bedrooms, but a fourth room would be nice for a play room or guest room. You need a two-car garage, but a larger one would be nice for storage. You need a functional kitchen but want hardwood floors. You need two bathrooms but want a luxurious master suite.

Before you get started driving all over looking at potential homes, start a checklist. Make a chart with a column for exterior and a column for interior features. Give each feature a rank from 1 to 10.

Make sure you also add any other general features that may be important to your situation such as traffic, schools, distance for your commute, etc.

• Take a notebook and camera with you, create a page for each home you view including notes and a photo
• Do not make a hasty decision, especially if you feel yourself becoming guided by emotion. Selecting a home takes time, thought, and analysis. You should carefully weigh the pros and cons of each house you like.
• Review your checklist and notes. Compare it against your needs, wants, and budget.
• Bring you spouse, friend, or family member with you to get a second opinion. They may notice a shortcoming that you have overlooked.
• Find out how much utilities, taxes and maintenance cost.
• Stay on top of newly listed homes via a Multiple Listing Service on the internet.
• Remain in close contact with you agent. This is extremely important if you are in a strong seller’s market in which homes that are priced right go fast. You want a good agent who will alert you of new listings and who will show you the houses as soon as they are listed.
• Be prepared to look at the potential of a house rather than what you see in front of you.
• Set your priorities and decide what can be sacrificed. It’s more important that the layout of the house and the number of bedrooms fit your needs Cosmetic shortcomings can be easily remedied once you buy the house.

If you find a house you like, offer a competitive bid. Keep in mind you will likely be competing against other offers, especially if interest rates are low and the spring buying season is in full bloom.

Once you make an offer, make it contingent upon the findings of a professional home inspection. If any major defects surface, you will want to have the leverage to renegotiate or back out of the deal completely.