Step 1:  Decide What You Want, cont'd.

To figure out what amenities you would like in your new home, review a hometoday.com "features you'd like" checklist. This list will get you started, although, it is not intended to be all-inclusive. Prioritize your desires. This will help you decide what you must have and what you might be able to live without for a little while.

You should also make a list of things you don't want; your dislikes should dictate what you won't buy just as much as what you desire. See a hometoday.com "dislikes" checklist for a head start on things that might annoy you.

You might consider what major events might occur in your life in the near future. If you anticipate a job transfer, getting married, or having children, your home search will be affected. Consider potential changes in your personal, family or financial situation. This may bring to mind other amenities you desire; these should be placed on your features list. Think about how long you think you will stay in the home you buy.  Writing down what you like and don't like will help you to quickly remember your requirements so that you can more easily review and discard homes that don't meet your minimum qualifications.

If you have to buy a small home first in order to buy a bigger home later, make sure the home you buy has good resale potential. Characteristics that might make a home desirable to others in the future include but are not limited to

• quality of other homes in the neighborhood
• location of the neighborhood
• proximity to residential support services (schools, shopping, police, fire house, etc.)
• history of increases in property value in the neighborhood

Many real estate professionals say that it is better to buy a small home in a nice neighborhood rather than a big home in a not so nice neighborhood.  Keep that rule of thumb in mind as you decide what you want.