How To Find The Best House For Yourself? Wait! That house may seem like everything you've ever wanted, but before you make an offer, take some time to consider a few things beyond the size, style and price. 1. Decide A Budget Range Examine your finances, keeping in mind current and future expenses, and don't exceed your means. It's smarter to buy a home you can easily afford than one you have to stretch to get into. 2. Look At The House Carefully When you tour a home for the first time, the excitement can make it difficult to focus on. Have fun, wander around and mentally note your first impressions of the space. Once the butterflies have died down, it's time to get to work. 3. Check For Hidden Costs Buying a new home can be even more expensive than you expect. There are lots of hidden costs that can add more than 10% to the total bill, which you need to budget for. 4. Speak To Immediate Neighbors How many people in the neighborhood own their homes? Sometimes it’s hard to tell at first if you’re choosing a neighborhood that’s primarily rental houses. 5. Take A Balanced Decision Time for the fun part, put pen to paper and sketch out your dream property criteria – number of bedrooms and bathrooms, private garden, off-street parking, detached or semi-detached. A crystal cle