Follow these 10 tips to make the home-buying process a happy one.

The arrival of spring means it’s time to start fresh. Along with pulling out your warm-weather wardrobe and tackling spring cleaning, you may have a bigger project on your to-do list: buying a new home.

Before you start on your home-shopping journey, check out these 10 home buying tips to save you both time and money.

Find the right agent

Real estate expert Joe Manausa says the key to happy spring home buying is finding the most qualified agent to guide you through the process.

With reviews available at your fingertips, finding a real estate agent you trust can be easy — provided you take the time to do some research.

Check for agents with the best reviews, and give them a call. They’ll relieve some of the pressures of home buying, and walk you through all the necessary steps.

Think location

Sure, the three things that matter most in real estate are “location, location, and location.” Nonetheless, some buyers end up purchasing a home in a location that’s not right for them, simply because they make their choice for all the wrong reasons.

“They’re looking at a house in the wrong area or the wrong school district, but they buy it because they like the kitchen,” Manausa says.

Use the new open house

The internet has completely changed the home-buying process, making it easier to choose which homes to go see in person.

With 3-D tours available on the web, buyers can tour a home from their mobile device or a computer. Eighty-seven percent of home buyers use online resources during their home search, according to the Zillow Group Report on Consumer Housing Trends.

Buy a home, not a project

Buyers who purchase a fixer-upper can end up spending the same (if not more) than they would on a new home.

“When buying a home, pay close attention to the ‘bones’ … and avoid getting caught up in the cosmetic features,” advises Dan Schaeffer, owner of Five Star Painting of Austin.

If the kitchen cabinets are in good shape, but you want the space to be brighter, adding a fresh coat of paint is easier and less expensive than replacing all the cabinets.

Read more here.