MAXSOL'S Interactive HomeBuying on the Web walks you through a typical requirements analysis, considering such things as proximity to schools, hospitals, public transportation, and disturbances. Other important factors may be neighborhood setting (dead end street vs. high traffic area), age of the home, square footage, appliances, number of rooms, and landscaping elements.

Finally, price is an important consideration. How much home do you think you can afford? A general rule of thumb is to look for homes priced at 2 1/2 times your gross salary -- or less.

HomeStarterPath , sponsored by Fannie Mae, provides information about types of mortgages, closing costs, and calculators to help you decide how much you can afford to pay for your new home.

Finally we get to the fun stuff! Searching for a home on the web is a terrific time saver. No more driving all over town or making daily calls to your agent. Use the requirements analysis and budget information you've prepared to look for the perfect home. Several web sites offer home listings.

• USA TODAY'S on-line classifieds lists over 1 million homes.
• NewRealty.com offers 500,000+ listings and information on pre-qualifying for your home loan.
• Realtor.com allows you to perform a customized search for homes in North America based on everything from the number of bathrooms to the type of floors.

And if you'd rather do it the old-fashioned way, you can also look for agents online. RELOCATION-NET allows you to search for a realtor in any state.

Shopping for a home on the web doesn't save you from having to prepare and complete mountains of paperwork. Now that you've selected your perfect home, you can begin shopping for a mortgage, decide on a lender, and get pre-approval for the home loan. HomePurchasePath can help you with the details and give you information about what to expect at closing.

Many financial institutions fund mortgages. To find out more about mortgage bankers, check out the Mortgage Bankers Association of America.

Being pre-approved for your home loan often gives you greater bargaining power when negotiating a price with the seller. Other items to discuss with the seller (or seller's agent) are obtaining an appraisal and scheduling home inspections.

Decide who will pay for these services before they are performed. Typical inspections include pest, structural, and roof. Other features, like a swimming pool or water well, also should be inspected. InspectAmerica explains common home inspections and helps you find an inspector in your area.

You've found the home you want, it's been appraised and inspected, and you've got your finances in order. Now you can make an offer.

Prepare a written offer to buy the home. This offer should include price, closing date, earnest money, and any contingencies, such as the seller fixing problems with the home or paying for pest extermination. Also, inform the seller if you've been pre-approved for the loan. This may make a difference if he or she is considering multiple offers.

Once your offer has been accepted, coordinate the loan application with your lender. They will probably require proof of homeowner's insurance. Back to the web.

You can shop for insurance with major companies like Allstate and Prudential from your computer. Use your browser's search capabilities to locate insurance companies and Home Fair's Insurance Professor to help you get the lowest rates.

Closing is the last step before a house is yours. The closing process is actually a transfer of the property title to the buyer, and a transfer of money to the seller.

After closing, you can catch a quick breath before the next big step -- moving!

Check out the American Movers Conference web site to estimate moving costs and locate a mover in your area. Air Animal will even move your pets for you!

Finally, once you're settled in your new home, change your address with Home Fair's Address Express and find an internet provider with The List ASAP. You never know what you might be missing while you're offline!