Buying a house - Step 1

Today I was watching Good Morning America on ABC. Nina Garcia was being interviewed by Diane Sawyer about her new book The Style Strategy. In her interview she said there were three questions you need to ask yourself before going shopping. Although speaking about clothes her questions can apply to any type of shopping. Applied to purchasing a home get out a piece of paper and write down the answers to the following:

• What does your current home offer that you like?

It may be location, it may be a first floor bedroom, or it may be a laundry room on the second floor. Schools, shopping, friends. Get out a piece of paper and write down what your current home offers.

• Ask yourself what you really need in your next home.

Do you need a yard big enough for three Saint Bernard's? Is a garage necessary? Do you need to be on a bus line? What is it that you have to have and why? Lower tax assessment - whatever!

• And then write down what you would like to have in your next home.

These are the things that would be nice to have. Perhaps it is a double sink in the kids bathroom, or two closets in the master bedroom.

Now that you have these written down when you look at houses you can compare the house to your answers. What works, what doesn't, and why. Doing this helps keep emotion our of purchasing a house and reminds you of what you really need for your situation