So, you have got all the documents ready and have set the budget, so it is finally time to start off your hunt for a home. But you must remember that your home shopping will stall like the wind if you are not familiar with what exactly you want.
Therefore, you visit an open house or schedule a meeting with a real estate agent, you got to sit down and list down your wants and needs. And, of course, both of these are two different things. For example, you may want your house to have a pool, but you can probably live without it.
Here are a few tips you can follow to sort out your wants and needs before buying a house.
Consider Your Lifestyle
You must have a picture of a perfect house in your mind. However, you must also consider the kind of lifestyle you currently have. In addition to that, you should also think if you want to upgrade your lifestyle in the future or not.
Importantly, this will help you know what should be the non-negotiables and basic needs in a house. You can start by considering the house you live in – what things do you like the most about your house, and what things you would like to change?
Furthermore, think about the following things:
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Do you need space for a home office or a future nursery?
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Do you need any extra features for your pet like a yard with a fence?
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Do you want limited stairs or wheelchair access?
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Do you need a separate space for parking your car or are you okay with street parking?
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How important is walkability to you?
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Do you plan on changing your jobs in the next one or two years?
Select Your Preferred Type and Style
Once you have figured out the basics, you can now efficiently lay the groundwork to determine what kind of features you would like in a house. Do thorough market research and look through different types of houses. Also, consider the neighborhoods where you would want to live in.
Ask yourself the following questions and make sure the answers match up with your needs and wants.
- How many floors do you want?
- Do you want to live in a condo, townhouse, or single-family home?
- Are you willing to live in an old home?
- How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you want?
- Do you want a guest room?
- What kind of flooring do you prefer?
- What kind of architectural style do you like the most?
- Do you want an outdoor space?
- Can you take good care of the backyard?
Select a Location
You can change the paint of the house and increase the square footage, but what you cannot change is the location of the house. Hence, it is very important to choose the location that you like the most because you won’t be able to change it moving forward.
You can consider asking yourself the following things:
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Do you prefer rural, urban, or suburban?
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What city would you like to live in?
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Is the view important?
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Do you want easy access to public transportation or highways?
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Are you okay with traffic noise?
