Over the past several postings I've laid out a game plan for first time home buyers which includes selecting a real estate agent & lender, determining what you can afford and identifying what you need in your home vs. what you want.  So what is the best way to find a home?

There are many ways to search for homes, and it is best to keep all options open because you never know how you will find the best home for you.  There are two methods for identifying homes that greatly increase your chances of being the first to know when new homes become available:  Your real estate agent and the Internet. 

Your agent will monitor the market for you and contact you as new homes become available.  I try to check the MLS several times a day for new homes that meet my active buyers' needs.  When a new home comes on the market that seems perfect, I contact my client immediately and suggest we look at it as soon as convenient for them.  If a new home is close to my clients' needs, but there is something not quite right, then I'll discuss it with them and set up a time to show it to them if they'd like to see it. 

When your agent shows you homes that appear to meet your basic needs, it is best to share with the agent exactly what you like and don't like about any given home.  This way, your agent learns even more specifically what you like.  As additional homes become available, your agent can preview them for you, weeding out the ones that would not work for you.  Over time, you should find that the homes you are viewing with your agent are becoming more closely aligned with your housing needs. 

Next posting I'll focus on using the Internet to search for homes.  Other methods that buyers should use include visiting open houses, reading agent ads, driving the neighborhoods you'd like to live in, watching for ‘coming soon' signs, talking with friends, etc.