How do I determine my priorities before I search for a home?

A: Finding the perfect home in the perfect location at just the right price can be difficult — and you may have to settle for something less then perfection. Our best advice is to make a list of three to five top priorities and not waste time looking at homes that don’t meet your specifications.

The first, and most basic, item would be budget — once you’re preapproved, you’ll have a good idea of what you can afford.

Second is location — and that can mean different things to different people. One can always remodel, or add on, but one thing that can absolutely never be changed is the location of the property. Typically, we find commute and schools among buyers’ top priorities.

Another factor to consider is reviewing your list of wants versus needs. Needs should include things like square footage, number of bedrooms and other qualities of the home that cannot be easily changed. Wants could include items such as a pool or a view.

Once you have your list of top priorities in place, you can use these to set clear parameters with your Realtor, narrow your search and avoid wasting time touring those listings that would come up short.

Kathleen Daly, Coldwell Banker, 415-519-6074, kdaly@cbnorcal.com; Lisa Lange, Colwell Banker,

415-847-7770, lisalange@coldwellbanker.com.

A: Home buyers can easily get wrapped up and turned around in questioning what their priorities really are:

 From the esoteric: “What am I actually buying?” (especially for tenancy in commons and condominiums)

 From the overwhelming, “How am I really going to pay for this?”  To the existential, “How can a space really be ‘0’ square feet?”

But must-haves and deal-breakers really come into focus when we ask our buyers to take a look at their calendars, weekend plans and daily routines.

After work, do you nest or is home just a pit stop before spin class and dinner? (Read: location/ starter home).

Are you making dinner at home tonight? (Read: kitchen quality).

Did you leave your clothes in the washer again? (Read: in-unit laundry and closet space).

Just how often will those out-oftown guests really visit you? (Read: budget/room count).

By taking a look at the humdrum of daily life, disoriented buyers may well see that the answers were right in front of them all along.

Kevin K. Ho, Vanguard Properties,

415-297-7462, kevin@kevinandjonathan.com; Jonathan B. McNarry, Vanguard Properties,

415-215-4393, jonathan@kevinandjonathan.com.

A: An internet search for answers to this question yields the usual suspects like number of bedrooms your family needs or the nature of your work commute. But I believe it’s best to take a wider view.

Begin by finding an agent (ask your friends) who’ll be a gentle guide and ally. (Emphasis on “gentle” and “ally.”)

You want someone who listens to you and focuses on your needs and especially your dreams before recommending specific houses.

It’s good to have a notion of budget and location yet do some casual shopping prior to commencing an intensive search.

Visit some homes, but take a deep breath before entering each door and attempt to detach from evaluation. Let the feeling of the place wash over you. Discover what qualities please or repel you.

Then, with your agent’s counsel, translate those qualities into tangible parameters.

Cynthia Cummins, Kindred SF Homes,

415-713-8008, cynthia@kindredsfhomes.com.