1. Check Your Credit
Before continuing to the next step, you should check your credit report and verify its accuracy. Make sure that everything is correct. If there are any problems, now is the time to address them. Contact any owners of old debt and settle those debts. Correcting these debts insures a less stressful home buying experience

2. Get Pre-Approved
The most important pre home search step is getting pre-approved for a loan. There’s a lot of time involved in finding a home and you don’t want to waste a second of yours, so get pre-approved. This is a very simple step that can save you the heartache of falling in love with a home that is out of your price range or settling for a home when you could have had more.

If you aren’t already working with a loan officer, but have an agent, ask your agent for their recommendation. Most agents will have 2 or 3 loan officers that they refer their business to. These recommendations are usually built on trust and consistency between the two.

3. Make or Break List
Create a list. On this list you should have 2 columns. The first column should have ABSOLUTE Must-haves and ABSOLUTE No’s. You should include the city you want to live in, how many bedrooms you need, how many bathrooms, schools preferred, and the price range indicated on your pre-approval.

4. Find an Agent
By this time most buyers have already decided what agent they want to work with. If you haven’t, find one. The best way to look for an agent, is to ask family and friends who they’ve worked with in the past. You want to make sure that you choose a buyer’s agent and that they will be working for you and not the sellers. There are 2 parts to every transaction and you want to make sure they your agent is on your side. Remember a real estate agent can show you anyone’s house no matter whose sign is up front.

5. Find and Educate
Give your agent the list you made in step 3. Discuss it with them. When your agent has a better understanding of what you’re looking for, you will truly get the best results. The more specific, the better. Wading through 50 homes is very time consuming. If you’re able to narrow your list down to 5 homes, the home buying process will be much more enjoyable for you.

Once you’ve narrowed down your search to the best home educate yourself on the area. Find out about the crime rate in that area at your local police station, drive by the area at night, drive around the neighborhood during the day as well. All of these factors will give you great insight into the home’s true value.

6. Make an Offer
Making an offer is a delicate situation. Ask how long the home has been on the market, why the seller is selling, and what other homes have sold in the area and for how much. You may not be able to get all the answers, but, having as much information as possible insures that you’re making a sound offer.

Buying a home can be a difficult process but the more prepared you are, the easier the process will be. After you’ve chosen a home and had the offer accepted you’re on to the final stages. See my link titled, “After the contract…” for more information on what happens after your contract is accepted.