Buying a home, especially if it is your first one can be an extremely overwhelming process for most. And in a buyer’s market (like the one we are in now), with literally thousands of homes to choose from, it may be confusing to just even begin the home-hunting process.

All home buying transactions start with shopping around, and getting a feel for the area you are looking to buy in as well as an idea of the type of home you think best suits you and your lifestyle.

If you have realistic expectations of what is going to happen during the home shopping time as well as the home buying transaction as well, you will be able to get through the process stress-free.

Elizabeth Weintraub gives some good advice to first-time buyers in the article, “Before You Buy Your First Home - Tips for First-time Home Buyers,” featured on the website About.com.

“It's not uncommon for a first-time home buyer to say to me, ‘Gosh, just last week I called you about buying a home and now I'm in escrow! How did this happen so fast?’ The answer is it didn't. First-time home buyers start the search long before most even realize it.”

Once a potential homebuyer has made the realization that buying a home is the next logical step in their life, it will be time to start the house-hunt! As long as the person is ready for the financial commitment, they can proceed to the next step, which is looking for a suitable house.

“Almost 80% of all home searches today begin on the Internet. With just a few clicks of the mouse, home buyers can search through hundreds of online listings, view virtual tours, and sort through dozens of photographs and aerial shots of neighborhoods and homes. You've probably defined your goals and have a pretty good idea of the type of home and neighborhood you want. By the time you reach your real estate agent's office, you are halfway to home ownership.”

Since there are so many homes available to look at in today’s marketplace, it is very helpful to have a fairly good idea of the type and style of home you want, so your agent can narrow down the glut of homes for you so you are not looking at homes you know do not fit your needs.         

When the time comes when you are ready to tour prospective homes with your agent, there are a few things that will make the process a lot easier.

“Bring a digital camera and begin each series of photos with a close-up of the house number to identify where each group of home photos start and end. Take copious notes of unusual features, colors and design elements. Pay attention to the home's surroundings. What is next door? Do 2-story homes tower over your single story? Do you like the location? Is it near a park or a power plant? Immediately after leaving, rate each home on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest.”

All of these things will help you to remember the things you liked or didn’t like about a home, so you can start narrowing down your choices to your favorites!