House-hunting tips for first-time buyers

House hunting when buying a home involves more than just finding the ideal property to buy; it is about choosing a place to call home, and that can go beyond four walls.

Try to visit the area you want to move to before starting the search. But if that is not possible, look on social media and neighborhood groups and research the area in local news. Homes.com has profiles on neighborhoods across the country.

Once you have a location, set your must-haves and wish lists.

“I always tell my clients to start by getting crystal clear on what truly matters to them,” said Amanda Elhassan, a real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty in Livermore, California. “For some buyers, the deal breaker is location; for others, it’s size, style or layout. Whatever it is, define it early so you’re touring homes that genuinely fit your needs.”

Set your search parameters

Must-haves

Must-haves, or needs, is a list of items you are not willing to compromise on.

“Narrow down the wish list to two or three must-haves, not 20 or 30,” Elhassan said. “With today’s housing shortage, it’s rare to find a home that checks every single box, so identifying nonnegotiables upfront helps stay focused and realistic.”

Try to keep this list narrow yet not too specific because you will want to see multiple homes. When searching on Homes.com, you can input these needs into the search filters.

Location: Set the city, town, county or metropolitan area you are looking in.
Price: Set your maximum budget to see what in the area you can afford.
How many bedrooms?
How many bathrooms?
What do you absolutely need to function in a home? Home office? Downstairs primary suite?
What do you need from the neighborhood? What is most important to you and your family? Schools, safety or walkability?
What is your minimum lot size or square footage?
What are your parking needs?
Must-have features for you: Pools? Basements? Laundry room?

Wish-list

Once you see what is available with your must-have qualities, you can narrow the search even more. Depending on the available housing stock in your market, you will have more or less ability to make wishes. Think of things that you would prefer to have in the home already, but maybe it could be something you add down the line and it’s not a deal breaker.

Home styles: Limit by home type, architectural style or new construction.
Interior space wishes: Do you want high ceilings, fireplace, kitchen island?
Outdoor wishes: How big would you want your yard? Does it need to be fenced in? Do you want a pool?
Street style: Cul-de-sac? Corner lot? Waterfront?
Community needs: Community pool, recreation center or golf course?
Keyword search: For any detail you can’t find a filter for, type the keyword into the search.

Tips on viewing homes online

Once you have set your search filters, you should see a list of homes that meet your parameters. So now you can narrow it down. Start a list on Homes.com or copy the links and organize them in a document or spreadsheet. Write down what you like and what you don’t like. Try grading it with five stars or out of 10 based on how much you want to tour it.

When looking at online listings, there are a few things to keep an eye out for.

“Remember that listing photos are often enhanced,” Elhassan said. “Wide-angle or fisheye lenses can make rooms appear larger and brighter than they really are. Always take photos with a grain of salt. I also recommend checking the property using Google Earth or Street View. It’s a quick way to see if the home backs up to a busy road, sits near a school or has neighboring properties that might be deal breakers for you.”

Take a look at all the pictures and keep an eye out for notes about whether AI was used to stage the home. While not entirely a bad thing, when you visit in person it likely will look pretty different. See if there is a 3D tour like Matterport. This feature can help you get a sense of the layout and function of the home.

Next, read what the real estate agent has written about the house. They are going to highlight the best features of the home, but they may include details not visible in the images.

“Check how many times a house has sold. Frequent sales can signal a house is starting to show its age,” said Ryan Dossey, a real estate broker and co-founder of SoldFast, a company that helps prepare homes to be sold and buys undesirable properties to be flipped. “This also applies to how often the house was updated, if at all. No renovation projects means no opportunities to spot growing problems.”

Look at the property taxes, the zoning and homeowners association fees.

Tips on touring homes

Once you narrow down your search online, set a day to go look at some houses. You can pop in and tour when you have time, but if you can, set aside a day to look at properties and explore neighborhoods.

“Once a client is ready to begin physically touring homes, I always tell them to pace themselves,” Elhassan said. “I recommend limiting showings to three or four per day. Seeing too many homes at once can be mentally exhausting, and after a while, they tend to blur together. A manageable schedule helps my clients stay focused and make more informed decisions.”

During a walkthrough, talk about your observations. It’s OK to share your honest opinion even if it’s negative. Honesty can help you and your agent narrow down what you like and don’t like.

Look for problems. Even if you like the home, ask questions and push for information on the home’s history.

“Focus on the quality and condition of the home, the things photos can’t show you,” Elhassan said. “Look for hairline cracks, signs of water damage, the type and condition of the windows, and whether the floors are made of real hardwood or engineered wood. And pay extra attention to the big-ticket systems: roof, electrical" or heating ventilation and air conditioning.

Once you determine the home’s condition, decide if it is a good fit for you. If you are struggling to give feedback, ask yourself some guiding questions.

Questions:

What is your favorite thing about this property?
What did you not like?
What stuck out to you about this property?
What would you change about the house?
What would you not want to change?
Does this meet your needs?
Does it meet your wants?
Out of 10, how would you rate this house?

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