A couple of my tips would be - once you find a house you like - go there at various times of the day. Go at night, sit outside and see what the noise levels are like, traffic etc. You might also want to consider the position of the sun, where is the west, will the hottest part of the house be living/bedrooms, etc.
Also think about asking a few neighbours in the area how they like living where they are.
Are there alot of rentals, if so, that may mean unruely neighbours depending on the tipe of housing - ie older cheaper homes may attract younger people who may tend to have more parties.
Also think about driving any of your regular commutes from the home to each place to see how long the journeys are, what the traffic is like etc.