Residential properties come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, from condominiums and townhouses to traditional single-family houses and multi-family buildings. As such, you should determine what’s most important to you before you start the home search, go to open houses or scheduled showings. By creating a list of requirements and non-negotiable features such as neighborhood, house size, and amenities, you can rank prospective homes based on how closely they match your ideal house. Consider what you must have versus what would be nice to have, and don’t forget to account for how long you plan to be in the home and how your lifestyle needs might evolve during that time. Buying a home as an individual brings one set of needs, while owning a home with a growing family brings a completely different set.