Going to an open house

We've been to a bunch right now, and when we first started looking, everything seemed very overwhelming. There are some basic questions to ask yourself--

*Do you want to live in the town the house is in? Really think about this, is the commute good, how are the schools, are there parks or shops in the town, do you like the overall feel of the town, etc.
*How much work are you willing to do on a house?
*Does the price of the house compare well to others on the market? Prices can be all over the place right now--some sellers are serious and want to sell quickly (lower prices), and some are in denial that the boom is over and still pricing their homes too high.
*How many bathrooms do you want?
*Are there enough bedrooms?
*Do you want a garage?
*Do you want a basement?
*Is a big kitchen important to you? Same for a dining room?
*What kind of sewage system does the house have?
*What kind of water system?
*How old is the furnace and hot water heater?
*How old is the roof?
*How long do you want to stay in the house?
*How old are the appliances? Do they all come with the house?
*If there is wall to wall carpeting, ask what kind of floors are underneath.
*Taxes--what are they? Are there village taxes included?

Good luck, I know there is more, but that's all I can think of now. The open houses tend to become less confusing over time, and I think you definitely become more selective the more you see. Initially, we loved every town and every house we saw. Over time, there was more and more we decided we didn't want or like, and this has narrowed things down for us. Have fun!