The time has come, and you are at a point in your life where you can take steps to buying your own home. It's not just any home either; you want to find the absolute perfect home, the home of your dreams. Whether you are a first-time home-buyer or wanting to transition into something else, the process of finding your dream home can be stressful and daunting. Where should you start? To help make the process go a bit smoother, here are nine ways to help you find the home of your dreams.

1. Define Your Dream Home

What are you looking for in your dream home? Are you looking for a 2-story colonial or a cute, 3 bed/2 bath home? Do you want enough yard for the kids to play or some acreage to homestead or landscape? Knowing what you want from the start will make the process easier later on.

2. Location, Location, Location

Part of knowing what you want in your dream is knowing where you want to live. Do you want to live in the suburbs? Or maybe somewhere more rural and less traffic? What about near the beach? Or are you more of a "go to the lake" person? Taking your lifestyle and what you enjoy doing into account will help you build your vision of your dream home.

3. Make a List

Once you define what you want in your home, write it down. Use whatever works best for you to help envision it, but write it down. Then keep it close by as you search. Not only will it help you stay on track, but there may be things you didn't think of at first and will need to add.

4. Get Your Finances in Order

If this step hasn't already been done, then get it done now. Many home-buyers are willing to spend what it takes to get their dream home, but end up not being able too. Talk with financial advisors and know what you spend in the short and the long-term. Doing this now will save you a lot of time and effort in the future.

5. Find a Realtor

There are a lot of realtors to pair up with. Don't rush in and just grab for the first one you come across. Remember: your realtor is the person you will be working with throughout your home-buying process. Be sure the one you choose is the right match for you.

6. Bring in the Calvary

While you're at it, enlist some trusted friends and family for support. As exciting as it will be, this will be a stressful process as well. Being able to call up a best friend or a sister to help give you perspective will be a great stress relief. They could also help in finding potential listings or helping move when you eventually close on a house.

7. Look Through What's Available

Remember that list you made for your dream home? Here's where it comes in handy. Online listing markets will give you a good idea of what's available within your parameters and budget. If you've found a realtor by now, they will have a list of houses that fit your vision as well.

8. Be Patient

Just because the first home you look at doesn't quite match what you are looking for, doesn't mean you should settle for it. Sometimes, it is the first house you look at that matches your list of wants and needs. Then again, it may be five or ten houses down the road before you find what you are looking for. Don't rush it. 

9. Look at the Broader Picture

On the other hand, if you find a house you love, but it's missing a few things from your list, take a look at the broader picture. Will this house have the potential to be remodeled to meet those missing qualities? Assuming this is the only house you will be buying, you will have the time to make it yours, according to your style.