Buying and selling property is huge business. So if you have ever shown any interest in buying a new house, then you will no doubt have been bombarded with leaflets, phone calls and business cards from estate agents who are desperate to help.

But before you start taking their advice, you need to work a few things out yourself. No one else can decide what your dream home is; you have to sit down and really think about it before anyone else gets involved.

There are some really basic questions to answer such as whether you want to live in a flat or a house. So you want a garden or would you simply be happy with a balcony? What’s your budget and how many rooms do you want for your money?

But most importantly, you need to decide upon location. This is what can make or break a property and it is a very personal choice. No estate agent can decide this for you.

So take time to think about the type of environment you want to live in and what amenities you need. And once you have made all of these decisions, then you can dig out those business cards and give those estate agents a call.