After doing all the research and visiting a bunch of homes you can't decide between the 2 best candidates!  What to do, what to do?  Maybe you love 1 and your spouse the other or maybe you both love the same 2 and can't break the tie so you can move forward.  In slower markets time is often not your enemy, but in stronger situations it is (or can be).

Here are a few things to consider side-by-side that might help you make the decision:

• The neighborhoods:  If the 2 homes are in different neighborhoods lay out all the pros and cons of each on a piece of paper.  If they're both in the same neighborhood compare the pros and cons of each specific home and location.  Is one in better condition, easier to make into what you want, closer to amenities, quieter, etc.  Which has nicer homes surrounding it?  Are there cars or trucks parked in the street forever?  Do the neighbors take good care of their yards and their house?
• The schools:  What school system and which specific school will the kids attend?  Where does the school bus pickup and drop-off?  The best way to determine this is to call the school district and ask them to use the addresses to determine the answers to your questions.
• Crime:  Check with the local sheriff's department and online to see what's happening, maybe one area has more activity than the other.
• The houses compared to others in the neighborhood:  You don't always want to be the biggest, fanciest home on the block because that could make it difficult for you to sell later.  It's sometimes more comfortable to be somewhere in the middle.  The lower value per square foot of the larger homes can bring your value down.
• Appreciation:  Ask your agent to provide a history of prices in the neighborhoods so you can determine which has done better.  While the past is no guarantee of the future it is a valuable predictive tool anyway.  If you still like the home in the weaker area see if you can find out why it hasn't performed as well as the other.
• The seller's situations:  How long on the market and why?  Sellers moving up or out of the area?  Financial issues?  Divorce?  Neighborhood problems?  Your agent can help here.
• The houses themselves:  List all the features and amenities of each and decide which you would enjoy and which won't matter.  Which home can be most easily modified to perfectly fit your needs and how much would it cost?  How about the yards?  The garage?
• Drawbacks:  Make a list of the negatives of each home side-by-side and use that to determine which are deal breakers and which are not.

House hunting can be an overwhelming experience if you have trouble breaking it down into small bites.  As the old saying goes "the best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time".  I always encourage my clients to make notes on the MLS sheets I give them and to eliminate as many of the homes as possible as we walk out of the house and to make notes on those they like to remind them later.

House-hunting should be a fun and exciting experience and will be if things are kept organized and focused.