Creating your home wish list
Buying a house brings up many questions and ideas of what is important so, before the home search begins, you’ll want to decide on both your “wants” and your “needs”.
This little check list can help you create a well thought out wish list.
Wants vs Needs
A Need
is anything that is absolutely necessary and is not easily changed.
Does the home have enough bedroom, baths, or kitchen space? The kind of heat, yard space and the age of the wiring may be major considerations.
A Want
is something that would be nice but you can do without or could change later.
Things like decks, a pool, landscaping, and styling features might be desirable yet not be deal breakers.
Be sure to download our printable Wish List to help analyze what you want and what you need in a home’s features and amenities.
Knowing what you want will help your agent serve you better; you’ll be prepared with detailed information to get her started finding your perfect dream home.
Features:
- Age: Do you prefer historic properties, or newer ones?
- Style: Do you have a special preference for ranches, bungalows, or another style of construction?
- Bedrooms: How many?
- Bathrooms: How many? Are they updated?
- Living and Dining Areas; A traditional, formal layout, or a more open, contemporary plan?
- Stories: How many?
- Square feet: How much space?
- Ceilings: How high?
- Kitchen: How big? Recently updated? Open to other living areas?
- Storage: Big closets, a shed, an extra-large garage?
- Parking: A garage or carport? Room for how many cars?
- Extras: Attic or basement?
Amenities:
- Office
- Play/exercise room
- Security system
- Sprinkler system
- Workshop/Studio
- In-law suite
- Fireplace
- Pool
- Hot tub
- Sidewalk
- Wooded lot
- Patio, deck, or porch
- Laundry room
If you have trouble finding what you are looking for in a home, you really only have two choices, pay more, or reduce the number of “Wants” so you can get a home that fills your “Needs.” These home buying tips should ease the home search process and lead to success in the quest for that magic property.
