Once you've prepared yourself for what to expect financially, your budget has been determined, you know where you want to live, and what type of home will best suite your lifestyle, it is then time to actually shop for a home. If you've had productive, detailed conversations with your Real Estate agent regarding all of the decisions listed above, this can be the easiest part of the quest to homeownership.

The most important thing while house hunting is to take notes! Whether it's a Saturday of attending open houses by yourself or mid-evening showings with your Real Esate agent, grab a pen and paper, or camera, or dictaphone, or even some sort of video device. Record your experiences and detail your thoughts of specific properties. Make note of a house you visit that isn't right for you, but the kitchen design or layout is exactly what you're looking for. Jot down your thoughts on seeing a home that has almost everything you've asked for but the dark wood-paneling in the basement tells you to keep looking at other available properties. Chronicling these events and tracking your likes and dislikes by example can narrow down your list of options to homes that truly have a chance of winning you over, not to mention the time that careful planning and note taking can save.