If you've been waiting to get through the holidays and closer to warmer weather before beginning the search to buy your first home, you're not alone. The traditionally busy spring real estate season is just around the corner, meaning heavy competition looms. But there are things you can do as a potential homebuyer to get a head start.
      The number of home sales in 2002 shattered records with 5.56 million existing and 979,000 new homes sold throughout the country, according to National Association of Realtors chief economist David Lereah. Home sales this year are expected to dip slightly, but remain robust.
      So with that in mind, many indicators point to a strong sellers' market in parts of the country this spring, meaning the competition to buy may be fierce. It's already gaining momentum in some regions.
      There are some things you can do to improve your chances of landing in a home, including:

     Going through the arduous process of buying a house may leave you with all the stress you can handle. But don't forget your kids. The thought of a new house usually brings pangs of anxiety as they think about being the "new kid" - especially if you're moving in the middle of the school year.
      Rest assured, yours isn't the only family to go through this experience. The U.S. Census Bureau says that some 43 million Americans moved during a one-year period tracked from March 1999 to March 2000. While some 56 percent of those families stayed within the same county, that doesn't always spare the kids from having to move to a new school.
      And with the real estate market continuing to stay steady into the first months of 2003, there are guaranteed to be many more "new kids" roaming the halls of schools across the country in search of their new class assignments.
      The confusion and disorder associated with moving, packing, home inspections, taking care of all the final paperwork, and closing up your household is likely to produce a range of emotions for you and your kids.
      A lot of how well your child will adjust, experts say, depends on his or her personality and developmental age.
      "Some children are naturally outgoing and will be able to make friends immediately while some other children may take months," said Lesia