Your lifestyle is important when considering what you want in a home. If you love to make food, you'll want a well-equipped kitchen. If you love to garden, you'll want a yard. If you want to work at home, you may want a room for a separate library or home office. A person with many cars needs a big garage!

A good idea is to write on a piece of paper all of the things you want in a home. The paper stage is where you let your wildest imagination flow. Later you will pick and choose things that are realistic and fit within your budget and lifestyle.

If you are planning to only live in your home for a short period of time you will have different needs than if you are planning to live for a longer period of time in the residences. Your needs will be different. If you are newly married, you might not be concerned with a school district right now. But you could be in several years. Will you move then -- or is the house you are looking for now in a neighborhood where good schools are available If you have aging parents, might they need to live with you in the near future Consider arrangements that fit everyone.

Often, it is the location of a home that is more important than the features. Of course all of these things must fall within your price range! If you can pick a community and/or the maximum amount of distance you are willing to travel, this will go a long way to helping you decide where you want to live.

Shopping, police and fire protection, medical facilities, school and day-care, traffic and parking, trash and garbage collection, are all important factors when considering the location of your home.Driving or walking around neighborhoods, looking at street maps of various neighborhoods, and talking with people you know who live in the neighborhood will help you better understand the pluses and minuses of communities you are considering.

Consider what you really want and the advantages of different types of living. Do you want a condominium or a home A town house or a detached single-family home In terms of construction materials, do you want brick, stone, stucco, wood, vinyl siding, or another building material Can you make repairs on an older home or does a brand new home suit your needs better