Prioritizing your wants and needs before you go looking at homes could help you avoid costly mistakes.
Most people plan on living in their next house forever.
However, that's usually unrealistic. A job change, more kids, children growing up and leaving home, the desire to move on, illness, financial problems, or other reasons may make your term of ownership shorter than you originally anticipated. If you can foresee moving within the next two to three years, renting may be more advantageous to buying. Make a wish list. Put down every feature that you would like to have from a Jacuzzi tub in the master bath to a three-car garage.