Must-Haves Versus Wants When Choosing A House To Buy
One thing you should do prior to shopping for a house is to create a list of the features you desire to find in a house. Not only will this help you narrow down which homes to look at, but it will also help you find a house that meets the needs you have. As you create this list, you should carefully analyze each feature you place on the list to determine if it is a must-have feature or just a want, and here are some tips to help you do this.
Understand the difference between must-haves and wants
The first thing to understand is that you might long to find a house with dozens of certain features, but not every feature you want should be considered a must-have. A must-have feature is one you cannot live without. If a house does not have it, then it is a deal breaker.
The opposite of this is wants. Features that are wants are features you hope to find in a house but could live without if you find the right house.
Types of features that may be must-haves for you
In terms of must-have features, you may want to include the size of the house as well as the number of bedrooms. For example, you may need four bedrooms in your house, and this might be a feature that is a definite. If so, put this on your list as a must-have. Other must-have features can include location, size of the yard, and whether the house has a basement or not.
Types of features that may be wants
When it comes to wants, there might be a bunch of different features you would like to find in a home but could live without. For example, having three bathrooms when two is really plenty would be considered a want.
Another example would be having a wrap-around porch. While this is something you may really want, you could probably get by with just a regular sized porch on a house.
How to use this list to find the perfect home
After creating the list, you can begin looking at properties for sale to find ones that offer the must-haves you need and some of the wants you hope to find. Now that you understand the importance of creating a list of must-haves and wants, you can contact a real estate agent to help you begin shopping for single family homes.