• Take pictures inside and outside the home.
• Bring a spouse, family member, or friend.
• Make sure the house fits into your budget.
• Ask about utility and maintenance costs.
• Think of commuting time and costs.
• Compare what you'd like to have against what you really need.
• Consider your monthly budget - can you afford the renovations and maintenance that you'll need to do?
• Compare what you'd like to have against what you really need.
• Don't make a "spur-of-the-moment" decision.

What else can you do to make the house hunting process easier?

• List your needs. Know the difference between your wants and your needs and keep track of the homes you see that come closest to meeting your needs.
• Concentrate on a few neighborhoods. Decide what's most important to you about the neighborhood you want. This can greatly narrow down your search.
• Compare homes. Make sure you know what you would get and what you would miss in each house before you make a decision.