Your Wants and Needs
Buying a Home – What are my Wants and Needs?
To find and
buy a home you love, you must play detective. The home buying
demands you to pay great attention to small details, ask questions,
take notes, and stay informed of your area’s real estate market.
How to Determine Your Wants and Needs
Try this simple exercise. If you have a co-owner, have that
person try it too. On a piece of paper answer the following:
- Must-Have Features
- Must the house be located in a specific neighborhood or
school district?
- Must the house have 3 bedrooms, a 2-car garage, a large
kitchen, a view?
- Must there be no restrictions against a home-based business?
- Must the house be one level, with few or no steps?
- Now list every feature you feel is a must.
- Features You Would Like
- A basement, a deck?
- Whirlpool tubs, his/her sinks, walk-in closets?
- A certain type of architecture?
- Gas heat, central air conditioning?
- Now list all of the features that are important to you,
but have room for flexibility.
- Features You Do NOT Want
- A home that needs a lot of work?
- A home close to a highway or difficult access area?
- Certain types of architecture?
- Now list all features you absolutely cannot accept.
Review your list and compare it to that of your co-owner.
Are your priorities matching? If not, you’ll need to fine-tune
your lists by negotiating priorities. This is the only way that
you can both be happy. Making a list is the best exercise because
it forces you to think about your wants and needs. However,
do not be surprised if your list changes as you begin looking
at homes; as it is rare to find the "perfect" home.
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