Well, if you are in a lease for a year, (providing the landlord doesn't sell and the new owner evict you) which means you have that long to find the house of your dreams (or close enough!!) So I agree with Astrid - work out what you all want and don't want in a house, what you would like and not like (these are the more flexible demands!!) and then stick to it. If a house just isn't quite right, it isn't right. The right property will come up eventually. But you have to be prepared to give it time and not lock yourself in to an unsuitable house just because you want out of renting.

We looked almost solidly for 6 months before we found our house. We put in offers for 2 other houses and all I can say is we were compromising and thank-god we didn't get them. The third house was just perfect (well, as perfect as we were going to find on our budget) and that is the one we got. During that week I was in tears, I was so sick of looking and not finding anything worth it and thought it would never end. Saw the house on the saturday, did a 2nd inspection on the Sunday and put an offer in, by the Monday it was ours. This was due to the fact that we knew this was the place, there was no umming and ahhing and trying to look at the potential. When you look for that long and you have such a defined list it means you can walk in somewhere and know it is right and be ready to make that offer straight away.