4 Easy Tips to
Evaluate What You Really Want in a Home
Love at first sight is every homeowner-to-be’s dream. You
find a house for sale and love everything about it, from the age of the home to
the color of the roof right down to the white picket fence. While you’ll
definitely find a home you and your family fall in love with, expecting every
single thing to be perfect is a bit, well, unrealistic. Especially if you’re
not entirely sure what it is you’re looking for.
To help you figure out what you want in a home (and bring
you closer to that falling-in-love feeling), we put together these four tips.
1. What Does Your Heart Desire?
It might sound corny, but the best place to start is with
the question: What is in your dream home? Maybe it’s perfect-sized bedrooms, a
southern-facing picture window, a spacious lush backyard… Or perhaps it’s a
high-rise apartment in the city within walking distance to restaurants and
museums.
But there’s a difference between what you want in a home and
what you absolutely need. Be honest with yourself about what you genuinely
cannot live without. You might also want to give yourself a reality check now
and consider your budget. How much home can you afford? And where can you
afford it?
Now that you’ve got that in mind…
2. Start Assigning Items as
Wants or Needs
Look at the list you created for your dream home and work
backward from there. Start categorizing each item on that list as a want or a
need. There’s no need to bump off wants now, but it’s helpful to keep those in
mind as you start looking at homes.
With this exercise, it’s helpful to consider what you’re
willing to pay more for (such as a shorter commute or better school district)
and what you could live without (like a three-car garage or a vaulted ceiling).
Remember that there’s a lot you can change about a home (like landscaping,
carpet colors, or even a deck). Make sure you and your partner or family are on
the same page with this list to cut down on house-hunting bickering.
3. What Could Help You Out in the Future?
We get it. You’re looking to move into your new dream home,
and you can’t imagine ever doing this again. But the truth is, you’re probably
going to move again at some point. So, it’s a good idea to also consider what
“value items” are on your list. These items are features that add value to the
property for future buyers. Work with your real estate agent to figure out
which of the items on your list are high-value items that may come in handy
when you’re looking to sell in the future, like hardwood floors or beautiful
landscaping.
4. Narrow Down Your Home Search (For Your Own Sanity!)
Many prospective buyers start out full of energy and
excitement – you could look at three dozen homes in one weekend! You’re ready!
But you’re not likely to find your dream home right away. It’s easy to get worn
down after you’ve spent weekend after weekend looking at houses.
To cut down on this fatigue from the start, take that list
of wants and needs, and apply it to your search. Don’t tour every available
home in a 5-mile radius of your dream neighborhood; spend some time narrowing
down your list. You’ll be happier with the results and will keep your stamina
up throughout the entire process. You also might start to narrow down that
list, or even alter it all together, after you’ve seen a few homes and realize
that an open floor plan is more important than a three-season porch.
Finding your dream home isn’t always easy, but it’s within
reach. These four tips will help you narrow down the search and evaluate what
you’re really looking for in a home.