From my readings it seems that most scholars believe that one should consult the heart or get a sign/vision/dream after the istikhara to determine the choice to be taken.

STATUS OF DREAMS IN ISTIKHARAH%0D%0A%0D%0AFirstly, one must understand that none of the narrations in the Ahadith have%0D%0Aany mention regarding a dream, or even about performing the 'Istikharah'%0D%0Abefore sleeping. However, some "Ulama do prefer that Istikharah be performed%0D%0Abefore sleeping.%0D%0A%0D%0AWith regards to the person who does see a dream after performing%0D%0A'Istikharah', this dream is just like any other dream that a person sees.%0D%0AThis means that just as other dreams fall under one of three categories%0D%0A(which will be explained shortly), likewise will the dreams seen after%0D%0AIstikharah1 be. It is reported in a Hadith narrated in Sahih Bukhari and%0D%0Aother books of Hadith that dreams are of three types:%0D%0A%0D%0A1. Hadeeth-un-Nafs (imaginations)%0D%0A%0D%0A2. 'takhweefus shaytaan' a dream instilled in the mind by shaytan. This also%0D%0Aknown as 'wasaaisu-us-shaytaan' or 'tahzeenu-us-shaytaan'.%0D%0A%0D%0A3. 'Bushraa minallaah' True dreams, which are also known as 'mubash-sharaat'%0D%0A%0D%0AIt is mentioned in a Hadith that the dreams of pious muminin (believers) are%0D%0Agenerally true dreams.%0D%0A%0D%0AAnother Hadith states: "The most true dreams are those seen at the time of%0D%0ASahar (early dawn).%0D%0A%0D%0AIS SALAH NECESSARY?%0D%0A%0D%0AIn some Ahadith that deal with 'Istikharah', mention has been made of two%0D%0Araka'at, while others contain no mention of Salah before 'Istikharah'. Since%0D%0Athe narration of Hadrat Jabir (Radhiallaahu Anhu) mentions the performance%0D%0Aof two raka'at before 'Istikharah', Allamah 'Aini (RA) has stated that it is%0D%0ASunnah to perform two raka'at before 'Istikharah'. In fact, the narration of%0D%0AAbu Ayyub Ansari (Radhiallaahu Anhu) contains the following words: 'Thumma%0D%0Asalli maa kataballaahu laka'%0D%0A%0D%0A"Then perform how many rakaat Allah has destined for you" referring to the%0D%0Afact that if more than two raka'at (whether 4, 6, 8 etc.) are performed, it%0D%0Awill be preferable. This narration of Hadrat Abu Ayyub Ansari (Radhiallaahu%0D%0AAnhu) also mentions of the performance of 'wudu' properly before the Salah,%0D%0Aand praising Allah before the du'a.%0D%0A%0D%0AHowever, since most of the narrations do not have any mention of Salah,%0D%0A'Istikharah' will be correct by reciting the du'a only, especially when%0D%0Acircumstances do not allow one to perform Salah.%0D%0A%0D%0AHOW MANY TIMES?%0D%0A%0D%0AAs far as performance of 'Istikharah' more than once is concerned, the%0D%0A"Ulama have regarded it as 'mustahabb' i.e. preferable to perform it three%0D%0Atimes. This is on the basis of the narration of Ibn Mas'ud (Radhiallaahu%0D%0AAnhu) wherein he states that when Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam)%0D%0Amade du'aa, he would repeat it three times.%0D%0A%0D%0AHowever this is not a Sunnah in Istikharah as there has been no mention in%0D%0Athis regard in any of the Ahadith of Istikharah. As regards the narration of%0D%0Aseven times, due to it being an unauthentic narration, it cannot be used as%0D%0Aa basis for the establishment of any matter in Din.%0D%0A%0D%0ATHE SHORTEST FORM OF ISTIKHARAH1%0D%0A%0D%0AIn a 'weak' narration, Hadrat Abu Bakr (Radhiallaahu Anhu) is reported to%0D%0Ahave stated that whenever Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) intended%0D%0Ato do anything, he used to say:%0D%0A%0D%0A"O Allah, destine good for me, and choose for me'%0D%0A%0D%0ACONCLUSION%0D%0A%0D%0ALastly, one of the most important benefits of Istikharah is that it%0D%0Astrengthens a person's connection with Allah. Through excessive Istikharah,%0D%0Aone learns to take directly from the treasures of our Creator, the Being in%0D%0Awhose hands lies all good and bad, benefit and harm. May Allah grant the%0D%0Awriter, the reader and the rest of the ummah the understanding of this great%0D%0Aand noble Sunnah.%0D%0A%0D%0AFrom the above, it is apparent how easy Din has been made by Allah, and%0D%0Aactually we are the ones who have made Din difficult. Consequently, the%0D%0Alifestyle that we follow causes us, as well as others, to believe that Islam%0D%0Ais a difficult way of life. However, Allah has kept comfort, contentment,%0D%0Apeace of mind and ease only in following His commands and the Sunnah of His%0D%0ARasul (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam).%0D%0A%0D%0ANow that we have learnt the importance of this great Sunnah, it remains our%0D%0Aresponsibility to search for every other Sunnah, bring it into our lives and%0D%0Atake it to the rest of mankind. This was indeed the way of the Honourable%0D%0ACompanions of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) and our pious%0D%0Apredecessors. May Allah grant us the towfiq to follow their noble footsteps,%0D%0AAameen.%0D%0A%0D%0Aby Shaykhul Hadith Moulana Fazlur Rahmaan Saheb