It is important to know your needs vs. wants? There are many things to consider when buying a home. Do you need a family home, an investment property, a weekend home, moving up, a “fixer upper”, upsizing, downsizing, new construction or are you trying to accommodate an elderly parent? Communicating and understanding your needs is a critical process of finding you the perfect home.

Here are some things to consider:

Type of home:

• Single family residence
• Condominium
• Townhome
• Garden home
• New construction

Number of bedrooms with:

• Main level master bedroom
• All bedrooms on upstairs
• Separate guest accommodations

Number of bathrooms with:

• Double or single vanities
• Separate shower and bath or combo
• Dressing area
• Office or nursery attached to bedroom

Location:

• Area amenities
• Close to downtown
• Schools and universities
• Near your work
• Close or away from highways
• Public transit

Additional rooms:

• Great room
• Office/Study
• Game room
• Formal dining
• Media room
• Formal living
• Mud/ laundry room

Kitchen:

• Counter tops
• Appliances
• Breakfast area/bar
• Pantry

Exterior of home:

• Stone
• Stucco
• Brick
• Wood
• Siding

Style of home:

• Traditional
• Ranch
• Mediterranean
• Victorian
• Colonial

Condition of home:

• Well maintained
• Needs minor updating
• Lots of TLC
• Fixer upper

Other features:

• Fireplace
• Swimming pool
• Wood floors
• Patio/Deck
• Sprinkler system
• Fenced yard
• View
• High ceilings
• Screened in porch
• Tennis/Sports court
• Waterfront

Now that you are ready to go look at houses with your agent, here are some use tips to get the most out of your trips.

• Wear appropriate and comfortable clothing. (Flip-flops and shorts may not be appropriate for walking a 20 acre ranch. Thorns, snakes, scorpions, chiggers, and mosquitoes can make for an unpleasant experience.)
• Bring a notepad and measuring tape. Your agent should have them, but it never hurts to be prepared.
• Plan to spend about 30 minutes at each house. The right one will take longer, but you’ll know the wrong one almost instantly.
• Don’t try and see more than 6 to 8 houses in a day. Anything more than that will be unproductive and all of the details will start to run together.
• The average buyer sees about 20 to 30 homes before finding “The One”. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t find it on your first trip out.
• Give your agent lots of feedback. This will help them narrow down the list for you and avoid wasting time seeing homes that won’t work for you.
• Ask lots of questions. If the agent doesn’t know the answer, they can usually find it out quickly.
• Relax and have fun.