When looking for a new home, things can quickly become overwhelming. Where, when, how much – all of these and so many more questions will begin to swirl through your mind. Here, you'll find a few tips that can help you reduce the number of options down to a manageable list.

Type of Home

Do you know what type of home you're looking for? Do you hope to have a huge two- or three-story home, would you prefer to keep it small and simple, or are you looking at ranch homes for sale with large yards? Think about the future – how many more years will you want and be able to climb stairs? If you don't picture yourself being able to climb stairs without issues for the next 15 or 20 years, it's probably in your best interest to avoid houses that have stairs.

Location

Do you know what town you'd like to live in? If not, it's time to start researching the locations that are options. Look for the things that you're interested in and think about what you'd typically do each day – does the new location offer the things that you'd typically do? Are there any new things in the area that would attract you to it? Where you live will set the tone for how much of a life you have outside of the house and how far you'll have to travel to do the things that make you happy.

Safety

Before you buy, take a little time to discuss the safety of the area with the real estate agent you're working with. Some small towns may look perfectly safe but suffer from criminal activity more than you'd like.

Another thing to check is the Sex Offender Registry for the area. This will show you how many sexual predators are living in the area and help you avoid moving kids into areas that may not be safe.

Price

You have a budget, and you'll do well to stick to it as best you can. When calculating the price, don't forget to include the cost of insurance, any taxes that may be owed on the property at the time of purchase, and potential property and school taxes.

Talk with the real estate agent near you to gain assistance narrowing down the long list of available homes for sale. Hopefully, you'll find the house that you can call home for the next several years.