There's good news and bad news.  The good news is that with the warmer weather now around us, more and more properties are going to come on the market.  The bad news is that with the same warm weather come a lot more buyers.

To be ready to tackle the masses and stand tall on the contract battlefield there are a few things  you should have close by:

1) A good Realtor.  Every friend you have will know one.  Talk to a couple of them.  You're going to be jumping into a pretty serious relationship with this person and it's going to be important that both sides feel comfortable and confident!

2) A good lender.  Just as important as #1, this person is crucial.  Not all lenders have the same programs and not all lenders charge the same fees.  Treat it like you're buying a new car.  Shop one bank against the other.  For my two cents, stay away from mortgage brokers and stick with mortgage lenders.  I'd be happy to share my thoughts further if you're interested!

3) Keep paper and pencil in your car at all times.  You never know when you might be out and about and see a great property.  Write down the address and call your agent.  These tools will be handy when you get inside a property, too.  After a few houses, they all start to look a like so taking notes will help when you get home.  Of course the BEST thing to have is a camera or FlipVideo (no product endorsement intended).

4) Patience.  Don't expect to fall in love with the first house you see (although in 8 years it's happened twice with clients of mine).  This is probably the biggest decision you'll ever make so you need to be 110% sure when you get to the point of saying, "This is the one!"

As you can see, it's really not rocket science.  Like with any job, if you have the right tools, anything is possible!