Buying guide · Updated October 27, 2026
Seven steps to search well for a home.
Before the first showing, get these seven things straight.
The steps
- Set a real budget first. Ask a lender to explain what you can borrow and what the monthly cost looks like, including taxes, insurance and HOA dues.
- Write down must-haves and nice-to-haves. Location, size, commute, lot, budget ceiling. It makes any site easier to filter.
- Search two portals and one source. Large portals for breadth, plus a local MLS-fed broker site for the freshest status.
- Check each home’s history. Look at price changes, days on market and past sales. A county record search gives tax and sales history.
- Check the small print. HOA dues and rules, special assessments, flood zone, age of the roof and systems.
- Ask who you are talking to. The contact button may reach the listing agent or an advertising agent. Ask which, and whom they represent.
- Get licensed help before you offer. An agent represents you, advises on price and writes the offer. An inspector and, where needed, an attorney protect you.
Red flags in a listing
- Very few photos, or photos that do not match the address.
- No listing agent or brokerage named.
- Missing tax, HOA or square-footage figures.
- A price far below nearby sales, with pressure to act fast.
- A request to pay a deposit or “hold fee” before you have seen the home or met a licensed professional.
Want us to do the searching?
We can run the search and the checks and send you a shortlist. We are not a brokerage, so you would still use a licensed agent to make an offer. Ask for search help