There are many things that make a house a home. Your opinion in this matters more...so whether you write it down or not, make the list and then - don't compromise.

Zip code. While this may not need to be exactly the place, the general area will matter. How are the schools? What will your commute be like? 
Number of floors. Maybe there are steps or not and whether there are bedrooms upstairs or down.
Age. We don't always want to talk about numbers, but this will matter - believe me. 
Style. So many options...this might need to be a "view it in person" kind of category. Some will be off the list, for a variety of reasons - brick, Tudor, modern etc. You may not know what you like, but more importantly what you don't.
Bedrooms and bathrooms. Yes to both. They matter. Some more than others. A minimum of each please.

That is just a start. Make the list, add to it and go visiting. You may find you edit along the way, but at least you can eliminate some of the options and narrow down your choices. 

~ Dawn aka Hat Girl