I was in your exact situation 3 months ago..... Here is how I did it.
Decided what your top end budget is. Decided what your minimum equipment needs are. In today's flight needs, I'd say you want a gns430 or better and an autopilot. Either of those missing, pretty much a deal breaker.
Subscribed to barnstormers and global plane search. Immediately looked at each plane the day it was listed. Called the ones that looked interesting.
If you find a plane that you think is " the one", get tons pics from the seller, look for 337's from the FAA, look at the ownership history and get all the logs PDF'ed to you. If the owner is serious, they will get you whatever you need.
Negotiate the offer.
If all looks good, send the plane for a full annual and get the oil sampled. Talk to the Mx and ask them all the questions you need to help decide about it. Corrosion, life of systems, anything that will need R&R soon. Just make sure the prebuy annual is not done by the same shop who works on the plane normally. I doubt any A&P is gonna tell you something is wrong if they have been servicing it normally. That's pretty much dimeing themselves out. Also, if the Mx looks good, I'd also have them do an oil change so when you get the plane, you have a fresh annual and oil change.
If all is good, close the deal. If the plane is not as advertised or needs repair, renegotiate or walk away. It will be hard to walk away, but loosing $1500 now vs. paying $$$$ later may be worth walking away.
I bought my plane sight unseen this way and flew out with my CFI to take delivery. We completed the BFR flying it home from VA to AR. It was rather uncomfortable to rely on others word, but it had zero time and a round trip ticket to VA was almost $1k! Ouch!
Also, if there are any members on here close, you may ask them to go look at it for you. I would have no problem going to look at a plane in AR for someone as an unbiased party. A reputable seller would have no problem taken someone up if they are representing the buyer and footing the gas bill. That's just part of the selling process.
Here are my take-aways:
Be patient and find the right plane, get the books, get pics of every nook and cranny, get it annualed, get a PoA member to go look, seal the deal and enjoy.