You’ve looked at what seems like a million houses, each one as gorgeous as the last, and you’re at the point where it feels like your brain is about to explode! Despite their individual features, after several weeks of home-shopping, new homes can start to sort of blur together into one big, four bedroom, two-bath blob.

Having trouble making a decision? These tips should help.

Create a master checklist.

Do you know what you want, or are you wandering from home to home saying, “This one seems nice?” Next time, arm yourself with a master checklist that includes your must-haves, your would-like-but-can-live-withouts, and your absolutely-nots. This will help narrow down your list, and help you avoid feeling overwhelmed by endless options.

Take a look at the bigger picture.

While you might feel like you are house hunting, keep your true mission in mind—you are looking for that special place that really feels like home. Now that you have looked around a bit, it’s time to step back and look at the bigger picture. Are those “must-haves” really that important? Are your “absolutely-nots” so rigid that you are passing up homes that could ultimately be perfect for you and your family? You might find that if you are willing to compromise on a few things you might be that much closer to finding your new home.

Things to Never Compromise On

Of course, no matter how much you love a potential home, do be cautious of red flags and to-good-to-be-trues.

The folowing is a list of items NOT to take off your master list.

• Community

If community is important to you, take note of the surroundings. Are there people out and about? Do the neighbors seem to be talking to one another? Are the homes and common areas well maintained? Is there a community room or clubhouse?  Are there parks, fields, gathering spots or other features that encourage interaction and connections with your neighbors? Bonus points go for community playgrounds, dog parks and pools!

• Allure

If you know you will not enjoy living in a community without a sense of beauty, then you don’t have to live in one. There are plenty of affordable homes close to parks, trails and other outdoor recreational opportunities. Be on the lookout for other fabulous features like amazing landscape and even sculptures, fountains or other outdoor art. These clues will signal the appreciation (or lack thereof) that a potential community has for style and natural beauty.

• School 

​If you have kids, or even if you don’t, access to quality schools is a must. Do your homework before purchasing a new home. Not only does living in a great school district give your child numerous opportunities to excel, home values are shown to be higher and hold their value.

• Affordability

Do not buy anything you cannot afford. Take into consideration that while the price of the home might be right, you may have to make some costly investments fairly quickly. Does the home need a new roof? Is the garage big enough? Do you like everything but the floorplan? After months of searching, many home buyers end up electing to build their own home, for much less than they thought it would cost.

Be Patient

This is a very exciting time, so before you rush into anything, be sure it’s the right decision. Do NOT buy anything just because you feel like you have looked forever, and nothing is going to pop up in your price range. If you have that nagging feeling (you know, the one that tells you something is just a little off) walking out of an Open House, don’t ignore it. Be diligent and patient; and you WILL find the home that becomes your haven for years to come.