For people who are ready to buy a house, the period for home shopping can be shortened if they already know what they are looking for. Home specifications is one of the first things that one should decide on before going home shopping, along with the location and budget.

Real estate agents can be very helpful in terms of taking you to properties that fit the description you give them of homes that you're looking for. However, for them to be able to help you find the property, you should be sure about some things that you're looking for in a house. Let's say that you want to invest in Fountain Hills real estate. Narrowing down the search to Fountain Hills homes for sale that meet the specifications you want to see will shorten the home shopping time considerably. Here are a specifications to decide on:

1. Square footage - Do you want a property with a big yard and smaller house, one with a bigger house but a smaller yard, or somewhere in between? Some people prefer to have a lot of space for their garden, some people prefer that space to be used for the structure of the house itself. Depending on your need and preference, you can decide on this and eliminate houses that don't fit the description.

2. Garage - Do you need a two-car garage? Maybe a garage that will accommodate four cars? Sometimes people overlook this important part of the house. The fact is that the size and features of the garage can have an effect on the value of a house. For homes in generally colder areas, it's more practical to have the house built into the house so that the driver doesn't have to get out in order to walk towards the house during cold season. The trend these days also point towards houses with bigger garages because people's needs are evolving. Buying a house with a one car garage may be relevant for you now, but it may not help your house's value in the future.

3. Bathrooms - Some people prefer to buy homes with multiple bathrooms already built in. Some people opt for the cheaper option to have additional bathrooms added into the house. Of course this will take time, probably disrupt your living arrangements while the construction is going on, and could be a bit hard to fit into the original floor plan. Houses with more bathrooms definitely have the potential to get a higher resale value in the future.

4. Bedrooms - People sometimes invest on undervalued homes that have a lot of potential when it comes to the number of rooms. Some houses have big rooms that can be divided into two by putting in walls. If you're up for the project, you can buy houses low and sell high. More rooms can make a huge difference in the value of a house. However, projects like this take time and money. It's good to buy a house with rooms that you can already live with for the moment and undertake the project in the future.