She adores the kitchen; he hates the back yard. Or he loves the proximity to work but she thinks they need an extra bedroom. In today's real estate environment, with many regions of the country in hot sellers' markets, agreeing on a house can potentially be a relationship test for some couples.

Compromising, keeping a level head, and being objective are key for house-hunting couples. And the experts say the house hunters should be out in hordes this year.

David Lereah, the National Association of Realtor's chief economist, said the housing market could defy expectations this year. "Currently, we are projecting that home sales will decline slightly, but they remain at exceptionally high levels," Lereah said. "With a strong underlying demand for housing from a growing population in a recovering economy, we could be flirting with another record this year."

With the spring season kicking into high gear, sellers have the advantage in many markets.

"The Perinton area's seller's market has recently been strengthened by a number of spring buyers entering the market with an already limited number of homes available for sale," said Realtor Steve Vaisey of his market in Perinton, New York.

The situation is similar in Seattle.

"Sellers are enjoying a competitive buying market, receiving multiple offers and sometimes receiving offers over asking price," said Mike L. Baumgarden, a Seattle, Wash., real estate broker. "Buyers are enjoying low interest rates and lots of inventory to choose from as long as they don't wait too long to make their offer."

If you and your spouse find yourself searching for a house in a tight sellers' market, then agreeing on a house will likely be even tougher than under normal conditions.

Some things to keep in mind to help you evaluate each house you and your spouse are considering:

• The neighborhood. Remember that you're not just buying a house, but you're deciding on a neighborhood and a way of life. If you have kids and being close to a neighborhood school and park is important, you'll want to consider that. How close are shopping, restaurants, church, and other services? Are the streets maintained? Are homes maintained well? How long will your commute to work be?

• The schools. If you have school-aged children, consider the reputation of the neighborhood schools. You can usually find general district information and state standardized test results online. But once you're this deep in the process, you'll want to visit the schools and receive the information first-hand from school officials. You should also talk to teachers and parents in the neighborhood.

• The house compared to others in the neighborhood. It might be enticing to have the biggest house on the block, but real estate experts say it's best to have a smaller or mid-sized house (compared to others in the neighborhood). The value of the biggest houses will be bogged down by the lowered value of the smaller ones.

• The layout of the house. Before you start looking at houses, determine how many bedrooms and special spaces -- home office, playroom, hobby room, etc. -- you need. If the houses you are looking at don't meet these physical needs, they should be eliminated from consideration, even if you fall in love with the kitchen.

• The potential. If you or your spouse is put off by the blue carpet, purple walls or vinyl flooring in the kitchen, think about how you can eventually improve and change with new flooring and paint. Look at the major structural elements and layout of the house. Always keep in mind that cosmetic aspects can be changed.

• Your budget. The amount you plan on spending on down payment, closing costs and your monthly mortgage should be determined before you start looking at houses. Once those figures are established, your real estate agent will be able to help you determine the price range of houses you should be looking at. If you or your partner eyes a house outside the budget, you should discount it unless you both agree you can afford more than originally agreed upon.

Published: April 26, 2004

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