House-Hunting Tips

If you are house-hunting, you may spend hours looking at homes only to have them all blend into one giant blur at the end of the day. Which house had that beautifully designed great room? Was it the same one with the small master bedroom? You can remember what is important about each of the many properties that you saw by using the little tricks developed by real estate agents to help them identify the thousands of properties they see.

Carry a notebook with you when you are house-hunting, and give each house its own page. At the top of the page, note the address and price. Write down the exterior construction, style and color, as well as the color of the living room carpet and walls and any other major feature that will jog your memory later. You can nickname the houses--"the cow mailbox house" or "organic garden house"--anything to help you retain a mental picture of the property. This will enable you to recap the day and give your real estate agent important feedback that can speed up your search for the perfect home!