If you plan on selling your home'usually it is best to sell your home first before you buy the next one. Why? Contingency sales are proven to be unreliable.

10 Yes / 10 No.

Before searching for a house, make a list of 10 things that you would like in the new house and 10 you wouldn't like in the new house. This especially helpful when you are looking at more than 6-10 homes. Use this system as sort of a score card. The homes with the best scores are the ones that deserve careful consideration. It is important to keep in mind the IN's and the OUT's. The IN's refer to things that cannot be changed (i.e., Location, View, Lot Size, Noise, Structure, School District's and the Floor Plan). The OUT's refer to things that are easily changed or modified, usually cosmetic (i.e., Paint, Carpet, Wallpaper, Window Coverings, Appliances). Always choose the house with the best IN's, because the cosmetic OUT's can always be changed. Of course it is always wise to really consider a house upon it's own merits and not the decorating skills of the seller.