Be forthcoming with information about what it is you want. If you really must have four bedrooms, don’t waste everyone’s time looking at three-bedroom houses. If you want a specific neighborhood, don’t go looking around in other neighborhoods. If you want a one-story house, don’t spend time looking at split-level or two-story build­ings. Tell you agent up front, “I want four bedrooms, in the Hawaii Kai area, on a single level.”

There’s the old saying about a patient who goes into the doctor’s office and sits down. The doctor asks, “So, what’s wrong with you today?” To which the patient replies, “You’re the doctor…you tell me!”

The problem is that often we don’t really know what’s wrong ourselves; we don’t really know what we want. Thus, a part of the house-hunting process is actually dis­covery. By seeing what’s available on the market, we can come to realize what we don’t like and, conversely, what we are really searching for.

It is for this reason that good agents will often ask right at the onset, “Is this the first time you’ve looked, or have you been out house hunting before?” They want to know where in the search process they’ve contacted you. If it’s your first time, a good agent will plan a broad spectrum of homes to look at, to help you narrow down what it is you want. If you’ve looked before, the agent will expect you to be able to provide a more succinct explanation of what it is you want. Remember, the more correct, detailed infor­mation you can give your agent about your desires and needs, the better able he or she will be to satisfy them.

There is also the matter of feedback when walking through homes. Don’t be a shy or quiet buyer. When you like something, tell the agent. When you dislike some­thing, say that, too. A good agent is listening carefully and soon puts together a list of your likes and dislikes. This helps that agent prepare the next tour for you, elim­inating houses you obviously won’t like, adding in those you may go for.

Remember, it’s your money. Don’t settle for less than you want and can get.