Buy a House in 10 Steps

Step 4 - Home Search

At this point you will have a good idea of what you can afford and what type of neighborhood you will want to live in. Taking that information into consideration you are ready to embark on your actual home search. If you don't know much about the city that you are moving to you will most likely want to start your search by finding neighborhoods that meet your criteria and then narrowing your search to particular homes in the area.

There are a few ways to go about this. Possibly the most efficient way to find homes is to allow your real estate agent to keep you up-to-date on available properties that may meet your criteria, then and allow your agent to screen these properties for you. When your agent presents you with a property that interests you, he or she can arrange for you to tour the property when it is convenient for you.

You can also access local publications highlighting available real estate in the area, contact local Neighborhood Associations, visit the local Chamber of Commerce, look on the Internet, and even drive through neighborhoods that you feel would meet your needs. Driving around a particular area looking for a home that is for sale is good because you can actually see the house, but it can be very time consuming and very "hit or miss."