As a buyer you need to establish your criteria for purchasing a home.  Typically the criteria are base on 3 things:

• Price – The lender will tell you how much you can afford. But you need to decide how much you want to pay.
• Location – Deciding on where you would like to live allows the agent to focus on a given location. There are many reasons for picking a particular location e.g. schools, wanting to be near friends or relatives, wanting a newer home etc.
• Amenities – More than anything, you need to know what amenities you must have in a home in order for you to make an offer.

Make a list of all the amenities that you must have. I call this your MUST HAVE LIST Share it with your agent.

As a buyer you can also make use of the internet to notify you when a home comes on the market that meets your criteria.  Most agents have this capability.