The process of buying your first home can be overwhelming. As you start your search, you'll really want to focus on the most important parameter: what do you want in a home. You'll want to be clear about what size and style of home you want, number of bedrooms, bathrooms, lot size, what type of neighborhood you'd like to be in, what price range your looking at and what condition you require the home to be in. By knowing before hand what your personal preferences are, your realtor will be able to refine the process, and send you listings of homes for sale that truly suit your needs. The more specific you are the time you will waste, both the agent's and your own.

Many first time home buyers want to know exactly how many homes they should look at before purchasing. Unfortunately, this is not an exact science, and it all depends upon really knowing what you want. The best course of action in this regard is to look at as many houses as you need to until you find what you are looking for. Don't overwhelm your self on a daily basis by looking at too many houses at once. Pace yourself.

A great method to help you with your home search is to keep a daily journal while house hunting. In it list any unusual features, design elements and other items of interest. Take note of what surrounds the house - what kind of neighborhood it is in, elements in the yard that interest you, and how attractive are the neighboring homes. Jot down notes about the overall neighborhood and what is in the vicinity in terms of parks, schools, churches, and any other noticeable destinations. After each viewing, rate the home an a scale of 1-20. Also, it is a very wise idea to take along a digital camera so you can photo document aspects of each property ( both good and bad) that you'd like to remember about each home.

Once you've narrowed down your search, to go back and view your top 5 ranked properties a second time. By this point, you'll have gotten a very good feel for the amenities that you want as well as the style that interests you most and you'll be able to be even more discerning with your search. Once you've decided on your top pick, get a home inspection by a professional to ensure that there will be no surprises after you bought the home. By following these guidelines, you'll be sure to find the home of your dreams!