Get Ready to Buy This Spring (Part 1 of 3)

Once you decide that this Spring you want to buy a new home — or your first house — the question is, "Where do we start?"

The answer lies in two sets of decisions:

#1. Start With Success: Begin by deciding what success means to you. Clarify what you really want and why, not just what's "in" right now. Explore this practical side before viewing properties. What matters is not the number of homes you see, but zeroing in on genuine good matches. For instance, a couple who wanted to add a mortgage-paying basement suite to their next home, decided to search for houses with an existing basement bathroom since this would be the most expensive part of creating a rental unit.

#2. Who's "We"?: The other essential to a good start is to decide who "we" is going to be:

• Will friends or family come along to share their construction or real estate ownership expertise?
• Will you have a contractor on-call to provide renovation-cost estimates to back up your offer price?
• Who will you select as your local real estate professional to be sure you see all the best matches without being dragged through definite "nos." For instance, a condominium specialist may not be the best match if you are intent on a detached house with rental suite potential. How much do you need to learn about real estate before you will be comfortable when it's time to sign on the dotted line? If you have a steep learning curve, you'll benefit from a real estate profession who is well equipped to inform as well as provide access to the best-fit real estate. Then there's the professional negotiation skills you'll want to tap into.