Finding the “perfect” house for sale is a matter of knowing what you want. And the more specific you can be, the better your chance of success. Your real estate agent is a great resource to discuss the following points. Talking through them will help you focus your search for condos and homes.

Some locations are great for one person, but not as good for another. Where do you want to live? Do you have small children? If so, maybe you need to be within walking distance of a park or a school. Do you mind commuting to work? If yes, then perhaps you need to live close to your place of employment. A great location is a critical factor to finding your perfect home. That’s why I’ll want to talk in detail with you about your preferences in this area. And this will be our first step in focusing your search.

What features do you need? As with buying a car, houses come with certain features. Once you’ve settled on possible locations, make a list of “must-haves” (a large kitchen, a garage, etc.) and “nice-to-haves” (a first-floor laundry, a finished basement, etc.) and “don’t needs”. Ask me for my Home Wish List where you can jot down all these features and share them with your friends and family.

What do you know about the neighborhood? “Knowledge is power,” as the saying goes. You can go online and find lots of useful information about a neighborhood and even specific houses you might be considering. You’ll learn about the school system, public services, the crime rate, demographics, etc. The Chamber of Commerce is a great resource for you, and will have free visitor packets available, chock full of useful information. Another great resource is the local newspaper. Visit their website and scan some month’s worth of headlines. This will tell you all kinds of information about the health of the area.

It’s important to work with a local realtor who is very familiar with the area. This will save you hours of search time, as she will already know about all the properties for sale. Consider interviewing several realtors. You can find names online or in the local phone book. You’ll be sharing personal information with your realtor, so you’ll need to feel comfortable with her.

Have you visited the neighborhood? While you can learn all sorts of things about an area online, there’s nothing to replace visiting it in person, seeing what potential properties look like in context of their surroundings, checking out noise levels at different times of the day, etc. This is the only way to get a real “feel” for a place.

What price range of home can you afford? This figure is determined through a process called “pre-approval.” It is performed by your loan officer, who then hands you a letter stating the range of prices for which you are a serious buyer. Having this letter saves you time since you’ll only be looking at homes you can afford. It also gives you leverage with sellers.

If you do the preliminary work described above, you’ll be in a great position to jump quickly on the perfect opportunity!

Author Susanne Novak is a full time Columbus real estate agent specializing in helping home owners buy properties at discounted prices. Read her blog to find and successfully purchase the best Columbus OH Homes for Sale.

Technorati Tags: Columbus OH, home for sale, homes for sale, HUD home, HUD homes, Ohio home, Ohio homes, properties for sale, Real Estate, real estate agent, Realtor