Research Neighborhoods - When you buy a home, you are buying into the neighborhood around it as well. This has an impact on your quality of life and your property values alike. Do some research to find out which neighborhoods appeal to you the most. Your real estate agent can help you with this process, but it's a good idea to start early.

Start by making a list of neighborhoods in the area where you want to live. After that, you should drive through each neighborhood and see it for yourself. Find out which school district each neighborhood falls into, and research the schools system as well. Keep notes every step of the way -- you might even want to start a house hunting notebook or journal for this purpose.