Looking for the best way to search for homes? Maybe this will help.

[edit] Steps

Determine the price you want to pay. Mortgage professionals will check your credit and/or prequalify you for a loan for free.
Drive areas to see where you want to be. Google earth is great but nothing beats onsite investigations
Find an online search site. Use a keyword search like "search fayetteville nc homes for sale" substituting your city or region. This will return pages with home search tools. Look for IDX or broker reciprocity to find the most listings and information.
Drive by houses to narrow your search and call your real estate agent for a showing of the homes you like. Tell your agent about the areas you are keen about and ask them what homes they have available that you can view view the Internet.