We've all watched those real estate shows on the home channel. A couple looks at a series of properties. Generally a designer talks with them about what they could do with the place. Husband likes one. Wife likes the other. After the last commercial break, they pick a house. Generally, in the viewer's eyes, they make the wrong choice.

While the scenario makes for good television, it's not necessarily the best way for actual buyers to view multiple properties and to come to a decision based on the criteria they deem important. In order to make a valid comparison of homes for sale, their features, the surrounding neighborhood, and the community, keeping a check list for each is a simple and effective technique.

The technique works best, however, when you think outside the box.

** Proximity to Regular Destinations **

Many people use the so-called eyeball technique or guess-timate how close a home is to their regular stops, but few actually drive to work, or to school, or to the doctor's office, or to Grandma's house from the property for sale. Get in the car, make the trip, and make note of:

• mileage,

• driving conditions (road construction, railroad crossings, and so on),

• traffic,

• and the time of day you're taking the drive.

In modern urban living, no five-mile stretch is equal and time truly is relative. What takes ten minutes at 1 o'clock in the afternoon make take 45 minutes at rush hour.

** The Structural Details That Matter to You **

Don't just rely on the structural details routinely included in a listing sheet. Before you ever start to look at homes, compile a list of features that are important to you and your family. For instance, if you want a home office, you'll want to track:

• The square footage of each room in each home that could be used for that purpose.

• Do those rooms have windows? If so, will you get morning or afternoon light?

• Is there existing storage or space that can be converted? If so, how much work is involved?

• How many electrical outlets does the room have and are they well placed?

Your priorities are unique to your situation. At the end of the day, you will likely look at a series of homes that are fairly similar in terms of standard features -- three bedrooms, two baths, attached garage. But remember, your devil is in your details.

** What Lies Beyond the Front Door **

Many buyers fail to consider the surrounding neighborhood. Living in your house is simple. Living with your neighbors and any restrictions and covenants may not be. If there is a homeowners association, that difficulty can be elevated to unforeseen levels.

Make lists of exactly what you will and will not be able to do with and around your property. There have been cases where HOAs have sued homeowners for simply putting up a garden hose reel visible from the street. The perfect house makes little difference if it's in a settling that conflicts with how you want to live your life.

** The Non-Standard Checklists **

Don't let anyone tell you what you should and should not write down about a property or properties. If it matters to you, record it. We are bombarded with a daily flood of information. Your notes and lists, no matter how silly to anyone else, will be useful to you when it comes time to make a decision. No one else needs to know why you have a list of floor coverings that reads, "House 1 Aunt May's linoleum, House 2 Uncle Bernie's shag carpet, House 3 Grandma's wood floors."

** The Standard Checklists **

Looking ahead to the time when you have made your decision, don't lose the good habits you've cultivated during the shopping process. Keeping track of what's going on will save time, your peace of mind, and potentially a few dollars.

Although you are likely paying a professional realtor to keep up with all the paperwork, keep your own lists of required papers, due dates, and other essentials. If you're applying for a mortgage, for instance, get a list of all the documents that will be required and make note of when you've supplied them and in what form. (Fax, email, or personal delivery, for instance.)

** Making the Decision **

After viewing dozens of properties and weeding your choice down to two or three, having lists of details that are completely specific to your needs and wants will be a valuable tool in making your decision. In fact, you'll likely find yourself drawing up a final list of pros and cons based on those lists.

By making yourself track and compare details, however, you'll save yourself from one of the greatest pitfalls of the real estate experience -- buying on emotional impulse -- and then paying for your decision in ways you never imagined.

article submitted on behalf of co-author Darrell Self.