There are a lot of planes out there - take your time.
But equally get it down to a manageable pool and then pick one - you could spend forever waiting for the "perfect" plane to come along.
Figure your total budget. Then use a figure of 66-75% for what you will actually pay for the plane. Keep the rest of the budget for the inevitable things you find on an old plane after purchase.
Prebuy with YOUR mechanic - this comes out the budget. You could spend it all on pre-buys - hence the advice to not wait for the perfect plane to come along - you might be out of money when it does.
Find out what planes really sold for (compared to advertised price) and use that as a basis for a fair negotiation with the seller. Many sellers believe their planes are worth way more than they are - so negotiation is a fine line between reality and not insulting the owner. Ask Sandy Newfang about some of the horrible rude offers she was made when she went to sell her plane!
Understand how the paper trail works early on. Obtaining the records from the FAA (do it yourself cheaply - don't pay an agency) to check for reported damage history, repairs, alterations, and clear title.
From the club store - Mike Arman's "Owning, Buying or Flying the Cessna 150/152" is an excellent primer about some of the things to look for and how to go about buying a plane.
If there is a plane somewhere in the country that looks good but is too far away for you to easily see - post on here - there are many club members will go have a quick look for you and tell you if it is worth doing a pre-buy on or if you should pass.
