7 STEPS TO BUYING A HOUSE     1. Define your needs.   Congratulations on your decision to purchase a new home! It is important to select a professional real estate agent to work with you before you begin house hunting, so that your agent can help you define what kind of home and neighborhood would best suit your desires and needs. The finer the details on your wish list, the more effective your home search will be. To further define your needs, you may want to divide your lists into negotiable and non-negotiable items, so your agent can operate with some flexibility when scouting for homes on your behalf. See my house wish list.     2. Get preapproved.   Now that you know what you want in a home and neighborhood, you need to find out what you can afford. The best way to do this is to get prequalification or preapproval for a home loan. In most markets, preapproved buyers are preferred by sellers over those who are prequalified. Your preapproved status lets the seller know:   You have gone through an extensive financial background check. A lender is willing to do business with you. The likelihood of unexpected obstacles regarding financing is minimal.     3. House Hunting.   Now that you are ready to embark on your home search, the most efficient route is to allow your real estate agent to do the initial scouting for you. Using your wish list as a guide, he or she will alert you of new and existing listings that have strong potential. If these listings pique your interest, your agent will arrange home tours at your convenience. Many agents send alerts via email — sometimes as often as daily, depending on the available inventory in your market. Let your agent know how you’d like to receive these alerts, whether by phone, email or fax.       You also can do some research on your own. Read local real estate publications, contact your local neighborhood associations, visit the local chamber of commerce, surf the Internet, or drive around your favorite neighborhoods. While these methods certainly can lead to your dream home, it’s important to note that 82 percent of home sales are the result of agent connections.* That means it’s more likely your agent will find your dream home through being in the real estate business than you driving around on the weekends.* National Association of REALTORS®