Duane Roberts 
Define your ideal home criteria upfront. Outline must-have location, price, beds, baths, size, features, etc. Specific parameters focus your search research neighborhood values. Set realistic price minimums and maximums. Define deal breakers like busy streets. Envision your perfect home before searching. Use detailed MLS search filters. Seek exact home styles, construction, lot size, garages, exteriors, and interiors. Get granular with amenities. Target homes matching your description narrow your results precisely through custom filters. Study listing photos critically. Look beyond pretty pictures. Check if the dimensions seem accurate. Ensure shots align with specs. Note anything suspicious omitted. Don’t assume photos equal reality. Examine images to pre-assess layout and functionality.
Verify room sizes in person. NYC MLS data contains inaccuracies. Confirm bedroom and bathroom counts. Check reported square footage. Drive by promising listings first. Always validate specs by seeing spaces yourself. Examine remarks thoroughly. Look for insider insights on sellers, needed updates, showings and offers. Remarks provide useful context. Details in remarks influence negotiation power. Drive by the area first. Explore neighborhoods in-person versus just online. Get a feel for the location. Evaluate proximity to points of interest. Drive-bys reveal intangibles impossible to discern online.
Discuss their listings in-depth. Inquire about issues, not in listings. Ask about sellers’ motivations. See if pricing is flexible. Agents offer insights into actual property conditions and value. Widen your geographic range. Great options exist outside your ideal zones. Be open to overlook nearby vicinities. Extend your radius in increments to uncover hidden neighborhoods. Research sale and rental comps. Look at recent sold and rented prices in your target area on MLS. This helps discern true market values. Ignore list prices alone. Only comps demonstrate what buyers actually pay. Calculate the price per square foot. See if a home is overpriced or deals for the area. Confirm accurate square footage first. Price per square foot is a quick value yardstick. But it has limits.
Watch market inventory data. High inventory signals a buyer’s market. The low inventory indicates a seller’s market. Adjust negotiation strategies based on inventory trends in your local market and price segments. Calculate monthly costs. Factor in down payment, mortgage payment, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees. Ensure you qualify and afford it. Crunch numbers for each listing you tour using current rates.
Drive by open houses. Attend as many as possible in target neighborhoods. Speak with agents and neighbors. Maintain an organized list of top contenders. Stay nimble as new MLS listings continually appear. Even hot markets take time. Use MLS alerts for new listings. The right home will come. Persistence and diligence pay off for homebuyers who leverage the MLS properly. Preparation and diligence maximize your MLS search. Define your criteria, filter precisely, confirm details, crunch numbers, leverage remarks, and use all available data. But also visit in person, not just online. Combining logic and legwork leads you to your dream home.