Start your search by viewing some handful of homes in different price ranges just to get a feel for what is available out there. You can save you a lot of traveling time if you begin with viewing houses via the Internet. More and more real estate agents and regional Boards of Realtors are making  their  listings available on-line. Color photographs of homes listed for sale throughout the United States along with description is a great tool that allows you to estimate the price range for the house you are seeking.

To get a more accurate estimate of the market value find out the sale price of houses in the neighborhood in which you plan to buy that sold within the last year or so. This information can be obtained from local clerk & recorder's offices and property assessors.You can access this information within a couple of minutes for only $9.95 from the Home Sales Report available on this site. This convenient report provides you with valuable sale price information and property characteristics for a particular home, along with up to 30 comparable sales within a half mile of that home and within the last year.

Go to only those homes that basically meet your requirements and have a reasonable price close to the market value and within the price range you can realistically afford.

Home Buyer's Guide Analysis of the Homes You Visit