Over the years we have worked with thousands of buyers in the local area. Some of them come from afar and others from just around the corner, but they all have one thing in common – an unbelievable sense of pressure and stress to find the perfect property.

Here are my essential tips for making the buying process easier:

1. Set your budget: Make sure that before going shopping, you have met with a financier and had your finance pre-approved. This saves a lot of heartache by allowing you to define what you can actually afford and ensuring that you are viewing homes that are within your price range (there’s nothing worse than finding the home you love and then being told you can’t afford it).

The other scenario is that you find you can actually afford to buy a better property than what you thought. Sometimes a few extra dollars per week will give you a lot more home for your money.

2. Define the essentials: What are your must-haves and what are your desirables? For example, air-conditioning, a pool, a double lock-up garage or the number of bedrooms.

Having a defined list of requirements makes the job easier. Remember, don't be afraid to view homes that are a little less than your budget as you can always upgrade some of the features that are missing, thereby ending up with the perfect home.

Over the years we have worked with thousands of buyers in the local area. Some of them come from afar and others from just around the corner, but they all have one thing in common – an unbelievable sense of pressure and stress to find the perfect property.

3. Select your preferred areas: Be open to viewing locations that you may not have considered before. At the end of the day, you’re looking for the best-value home in the market, which may be in a different location to what you first thought.

Consider the proximity to schools, cafes and parks … what’s important to you? Taking the kids to school, walking the dog or being close to work? You can't change your location without selling the property, so make sure it suits!

4. Subscribe to real estate alerts: There are many new properties listed each day and this is a great way to stay on top of the market. The website www.realestate.com.au is perhaps the most widely used and the most up-to-date site currently available.

Another great source is to subscribe to agent newsletters. This will give you the heads up on new listings, price reductions, auctions and open homes.

5. Register your details with a reputable agent: Having a "friend" in the know can prove invaluable. Looking for the perfect home can get confusing and it certainly helps to find someone you can work with easily.

If you find something that interests you, contact your preferred agent and let them do the research for you. If they know your likes and dislikes, then they’ll be able to help with short-listing, thereby saving you much time and angst.

6. Always take notes: Another great idea is to buy a notebook or folder and keep a record of all the homes that you view. Make sure you record a few short notes of what you thought after each inspection. The more your search goes on, the more you forget.

Sometimes the perfect home is right under your nose - you just need a reminder to revisit it!

Remember, set a clear, defined list of the must-have features and stay within your budget … but more importantly, keep the search fun and enjoy the opportunity to find the perfect property.

Good luck!