Having just walked that road a year ago I will add my piece of advice. Expect your idea of the best model to evolve as you go through the process. The more you learn, and the more models you see, the more your priorities will chrystalize and clarify. The things you thought were MOST important when you first started out may become a bit less important as you realize new options. There may be times when you think you'll never be able to sort all of this out, but eventually your tastes and priorities will stabilize. Then you'll be able to see clearly which particular floorplan or model you want to invest in. And even then, you may need to tell yourself that you are not marrying this thing. You can always sell or trade it in a couple years if it turns out to be less than the best.
-Speak