Endless driving around, dealing with hostile owners and viewing properties that look like they have suffered a natural disaster. Still, house hunting can be fun.

The house you’re looking for is somewhere out there. The problem is finding it.

For the past few months, all that you seem to have been doing in your free time is scan for properties online. Then you send your list to your real estate agent, meet up for viewings, and brace yourself for the eventual disappointment when you realise that in the real world, the houses you’re interested in have nothing to do with the photos published online.

And when you eventually find a house that you love and that you can afford, the proverbial spanner always gets in the works: another buyer with a higher offer than yours, negotiations that fail, and a hidden cost that explains why the house was affordable in the first place. And you suddenly find that after months of house hunting, you’re back to where you started.

House-hunting can be consuming and exhausting. The property of your dreams will not just appear out of nowhere. You need to trawl online listings, spend your weekends viewing houses and being polite to owners, and discussing offers with your real estate agent. However, it’s an evil necessity, so you might as well try and make it as fun as possible.

Understand the process

Especially if you’re a first-time buyer, you need to understand the process of buying a property. Meet up with your real estate agent to go over all the steps and intricacies involved in viewing houses and putting in an offer. Also, discuss the process of getting a home loan with your bank manager and read up on financial schemes, such as the waiving of a portion of the stamp duty for first-time property buyers.

Being prepared means that you know what kind of house you can afford: that way, you will not waste time on viewing houses which are over your budget.

The property of your dreams will not just appear out of nowhere

All that you want

Before you start house-hunting, you need to know what you’re looking for. It’s useless viewing properties when you don’t know where you want to live and which kind of property you want to turn into your home.

First of all, which location best suits your lifestyle? Take into consideration commuting, school transport for your kids and other family needs.

Also, do you want to live in an apartment or a house? If you want to live in an old house, can you afford the maintenance costs? How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you need? And do you want to give your budget a nudge upwards in order to be able to afford a garden?

The answers to all these questions will lead you to your home.

A close look

You might only have a few minutes to view a house, so make the most of it. Take a lot of photos and develop a keen eye for detail: does the electricity system need a major overhaul and does the house require significant investment to make it habitable? During a second viewing of a property that you’re interested in, it’s a good idea to take your architect with you and discuss issues such as permits and structural problems.

Also, tour the neighbourhood at different times of the day. A neighbourhood might be quiet during the day but at night, it might turn into the preferred hangout of young men whose pastime of choice is revving their car’s engine or competing who has the loudest sound system.

Honesty is the best policy

The relationship you develop with your real estate agent is crucial to your property hunting. Honesty is the best foundation on which to build this relationship. When viewing your property, tell your agent what you like or don’t like about it. Don’t be afraid to express your feelings as agents will not take it personally: after all, they don’t own the house.

If you are open with your agent, then they will know your personality better and can identify houses that suit your wants and needs.

Happy families

If you’re buying a family home, then it’s best to involve other family members in house hunting. Your partner has, of course, as much say as you do. Your children can also give you valuable input. You can, for instance, help them come up with a list of things they would like to have in your new home. Then, when viewing, you can check off the things that they find in the houses you view. You can also discuss their findings with them in the car on your way to the next viewing.

By involving everyone, you can turn house-----hunting into an enjoyable family task.