|
Shopping for a home is an
exciting adventure and it’s
easy to get lost in a sea of
dazzling for-sale homes and
all of their fabulous
amenities – which can cause
you to temporarily forget
that a large backyard is
your top priority. To keep
yourself focused, take time
to identify and organize
exactly what you’re looking
for in a home by creating
thorough “must-have” and
“wish” lists before you
begin home shopping. You may
also want to make a third
list that details your
dislikes.
To get started ask yourself
these questions: Which items
and features must your home
have? Which items and
features would you like to
have, but could live
without? What would your
dream house include? And,
what features or issue must
you avoid?
For the must-have list, try
to focus on essentials and
hard-to-change details, like
a home’s layout. If you must
have a three-bedroom,
two-bath house, put it on
the list. Ranking your
must-haves in order of
importance is also a good
idea.
Hard-to-change, must-have
features can include the
type of house, for example a
two-story colonial or
sprawling rancher; the
number of rooms and square
footage; the home’s
proximity to shopping; or
its overall condition. Your
must-have list can’t be too
detailed because it aims to
itemize the features that
are most important to you
and your family.
Your wish list is the
flexible and fun list. Wish
lists are good for cosmetic
features that would be great
to have, but that can be
changed. Hardwood floors can
replace old wall-to-wall
carpeting. If the yard is
large enough and has
adequate open space, a pool
can be installed later. And
landscaping can be a work in
progress. Since the wish
list is secondary, there are
no limits so be sure to also
include your dream
amenities.
While compiling your lists,
don’t hesitate to confer
with your real estate
professional, who is a great
source for information about
neighborhoods, homes and
other pertinent “must-have”
information.
Once you’ve determined your
must-haves and optional
features, create a checklist
to take with you during your
home tours. Besides helping
you stay focused, it will
provide an organized review
of each house.
Your lists will most likely
change as you tour homes and
see what the market really
has to offer. It’s also
unlikely that one house will
include all of your
must-have features. But,
your efforts will be well
worth it once you find the
perfect house that includes
just enough must-haves and
even a few wishes. Your
perfect home might not
include that must-have
basement, but its view may
be a dream come true.
|
