Spring and summer are prime home-buying seasons. Right now and for several years already, it is a definite buyers market. But, too many options often overwhelm potential home buyers. It is important to figure out what you are looking for and what you can afford prior to beginning your search.

Smart buyers will buy this year. The housing market has slowed or declined in many areas and prices are way down. That means motivated sellers, which translates to perks for the buyers.

One of the worst actions you can take in a true buyers market is to take no action. If you wait until the market is fully in the rebound cycle, you will find the sellers taking valuable options off the table.

One of the first steps is to hire a buyer's agent. Hiring a buyer's agent is one of the few times you can utilize the expertise of a professional who is supposed to be working in your best interest. A real estate agent will keep you focused while researching the property and area to avoid over-paying.

The agent will provide comparable sales to you before you make an offer. This will allow you to understand the relationship between the asking price and the sales price. This also provides a benchmark before you start to negotiate. Comparable sales are determined by sales in the last three months, maybe up to six months.

A buyer's market does not mean sellers will give the house away. There are many factors involved in a seller's decision, such as current cost to keep the house; job relocation; looming foreclosure; how badly do they want to move; will a few thousand dollars mean a lot to them; and what are the circumstances that prompted them to list the house in the first place.

On the other hand, don't let the seller or the seller's agent play games. If you make a good offer and it is rejected without a counter-offer, move on to the next property. Never fall in love with a property which can end up in a big mistake. Take advantage of the numbers of properties on the market and find the right home for you, your family and your budget.

You must decide if you are ready to buy a home. You must do a personal inventory to determine if you are ready to buy a home. Finally, if the answer to one and two are yes, jump right in. Find the right Realtor for you and buy a home at a bargain price and with bargain mortgage rates.