One of the best things you can do to increase your chances of buying the home of your dreams is knowing exactly what you want. You may know one or two things, but walking into an open house with a wish list of what you want makes the home-buying process much easier. Keep reading to learn how to narrow down your options and create a wish list that actually covers everything you need.
Determine What You Do Not Like about Your Current Home and What You Do Like
The best place to start is with your current home. What drives you crazy about it? What do you wish you could change? And what is working for you? If you had to rate your home on a scale between one and ten, where would it fall? What are your home’s best and worst qualities? Write down the answers to these questions and you will likely see a pattern quickly emerging.
Figure Out What Style of Home You Like
Do you like the current style of your home? If you don’t, but you aren’t sure what architectural style you would like, try driving around different neighborhoods and noticing the homes you like. Once again, you will likely find that a pattern emerges faster than you would have imagined.
Consider Space, Flow, and More
Close your eyes and think hard: What is your favorite room in your home? What do you like about it? Why is it cozy, beautiful, or whatever adjective you would associate it with? Does the space work well? How does it flow? How do you feel when you’re in it? You want rooms with enough space but not too much, and you need to know which rooms require more and less space.
Decide on Open Floor Plans or Compartmentalized
If you buy a newer home, there is a good chance it will have an open floor plan. This is a great choice for families that want to stay connected as you can generally keep an eye on what is going on in the kitchen while enjoying the living and vice versa. However, if you are going to want more privacy in various areas of the home, then an open floor plan may not be the best choice.
Be Realistic about How Many Bedrooms and Bathrooms You Want
If you begin looking for homes and find that there is nothing within your price range – and you can’t up your price range – then there are likely two things you can change: The location you are looking in and the number of bedrooms and bathrooms the home has. Yes, you may want a room for a home office and a room for a guest room, but if it means that you can’t live in your ideal neighborhood, will it be worth it?