[skinsguy]

• Look for cracks in the foundation, evidence of leaks such as stains on the ceiling, etc... if the house leaks when it rains and if you have noticeable cracks in the foundation, you're going to run into a huge cost of repair right off the top and chances are, the sellers don't have the money to fix it, otherwise they probably would have already done so. When looking at the landscape, think about how much time and effort you're willing to put into keeping it up. Do you have the equipment necessary to keep a large lawn looking nice. Also, take notice of the other houses in the neighborhood.
• What I love about my house is that it's at the end of a dead end road in a very quiet neighborhood. It's all one level so we don't have to worry about going up and down steps. We have a two car garage that is attached and a second attached garage that we can utilize. What I hate is that there is no basement to turn into a man cave.
• Most likely it will be unavoidable, but stay away from HOAs if necessary. I live in a neighborhood that is HOA free, and the neighborhood looks nice. Everybody takes pride in their homes and landscape. Yes, we don't have side walks and street lights, and we don't have neighborhood pools, but we have freedom with our houses.
• Only buy a "fixer upper" if you have the time and money it takes to put into the reno. It sounds like you want to avoid that as much as possible, and since it sounds like you're not a handy man (neither am I) I would avoid any home that is going to need immediate renov, unless the savings outweigh the cost of reno. If you're going to have a lengthy commute to work every day, you're not going to have the time and energy to put into a huge reno, and you're probably not going to want to spend each and every weekend working on the house. Even houses that appear to be move in ready can fool you, so you have to look at these homes and details very closely.
• Also, NEVER EVER finance a home with a variable interest rate. Rates are still low enough where you can lock in a decent fixed rate. If you're a member of a credit union, I'd talk to them first. NEVER finance your house with the same company you bank with. I don't have time to get into all of that, but it's not good practice.

Lastly, I would personally caution you on buying a home with someone you're just dating. I understand it sounds like you guys are getting married within the next little bit, but it's taking a big chance. Just my opinion though. If you're buying the home based on both yours and your girlfriend's salary, you don't need to be buying the home. You need to base it on one income - either yours or hers. That might cut down on home options for you, but believe me, this is the best way to go. Again, it's just my opinion, but I know you asked because you truly do want our opinion, and I'm sure there will be others who will disagree, but I'd think about all of these points long and hard before jumping into home ownership.