House hunting. The term “hunting” brings up thoughts of staking out the perfect piece of property and moving in for the attack! Why not call this process “house strolling” or “house frolicking?” Sometimes searching for a new home is a bit more involved than a walk in the park, but if you begin your home search with a few strategies in mind, the “hunt” all of a sudden becomes much less ferocious!

Line up financing first. Do the preliminary work of the home buying process with your loan officer. Explore your loan options. Get pre-approved for a home loan before you start shopping for a new home. (Many sellers won’t accept offers from home buyers without financing.)

Build a relationship with your loan officer and your real estate agent. Work in tandem with those working to help you finance and find your dream home. Make sure you are responding quickly to any information or paperwork your loan officer needs. Communicate both your budget and your priorities in a home to your real estate agent. Your agent will help you find homes that fit your budget and have as many items of your wish list as possible.

Avoid getting your “heart set” on any single home. This may be easier said than done when you see the perfect screened in porch where you can enjoy your morning coffee. Try to list pros and cons of each house you visit in an objective manner. Sometimes seeing your thoughts on paper may help you thoroughly consider all of your home buying options.

Finally, enjoy that walk in the park – located right next to your new home.