Before shopping for a home, shop for a mortgage. Then you'll know the price range you can afford. Inspect at least 10 homes within your price range in various neighborhoods throughout your town. Sunday afternoon open houses are a great opportunity to quickly inspect many houses. Even if you don't have children, check the school quality where you are considering buying.
Good schools help home value appreciation.
Armed with all this information, narrow your choice down to a specific home in a specific neighborhood. Letters and comments to Bruss, a San Francisco-area lawyer, author and real estate broker, may be sent to P.O. Box 280038, San Francisco, CA 94128.