When you’re getting ready to buy a home, you’ll have to make several decisions about the features you need. Though some of the things you need in a home will be obvious, others may not seem quite as important. Here’s how to know what features you should prioritize when you go looking for a new home.
Think About What Your Future in the Home Looks Like
One of the main factors in determining what you need in a home is deciding what your life there is going to look like. If you’re a young professional buying a starter home, chances are you can get away with skipping a few convenient but non-essential features. If you’re a growing family looking for extra room, your needs will be much greater. It’s also important to have some notion of how long you’ll be in the home, since you’ll need to be much more selective for a home you plan to live in for 30 years as opposed to 5 years.
Make a List of Must-haves
For any home buyer, there are a few essentials that are required in a new property. If you have dogs, for example, a fenced back yard might be one of your must-haves. Creating a short list of the features you know you absolutely won’t budge on is a great way to narrow down your home search.
Look at Your Current Home and Decide What You Would Change
Another great way to decide what features you should look for in your new home is to think about what you would change in your current one. If, for example, you find yourself wishing you had a second bathroom, that’s a feature that should probably be on your list when you go to look at new homes.
Think of a Few Non-Essentials You’ve Always Wanted
Finally, you should come up with a list of two or three features that are completely non-essential but that you know you’ve always wanted. These could be things like granite countertops in the kitchen, a built-in fire pit in the back yard or a home theater room in the basement. While these features might still be negotiable when it’s time to buy, keeping them in mind will make it easier for you to find properties you’ll really love.
With these four quick tips, you should be able to figure out what features you need and want in your new home. Remember to be flexible, but don’t give in too much on the things you know you really need in a home.