4 Steps for Finding the Perfect Home
Moving is one of the most stressful things that you will need to do. It puts pressure on you, your spouse, and your children as you all try to find something that fits with each person’s expectations. You also have to consider the location of the new home, the size of the home, the size of the outdoor area, and the quality of the neighborhood. With all of these things that you need to consider, sometimes finding a house can seem like it’s impossible. The good news is that if you focus on these 4 main things, finding your home will be a whole lot easier.
1. Define Your “Perfect” Home
Get every in your family together and talk about what your perfect home would be. Your kids might want to have a big backyard and you want it to be close to your children’s school. If there’s a room size that you’re looking for, make sure that you write that down as well. You want your list to cover everything that you need. It’s also important to figure out what you need and what you want. For example, if your kids are big swimmers you might want to look at houses that have custom pools. However, this might not be something that you need in the house since a pool can be an easy addition to afterward. You need to realize which things can be compromised and which things cannot. Then, once you’ve defined what your perfect home is, give the list of needed things to your real estate agent and they’ll be able to locate houses that fit the criteria much easier.
2. Stay in the Budget
You might find a home that fits everything that you want, but it’s out of the budget. Now, you have a choice. You can abandon the budget and get the house, or find something that sticks within the price range. This piece of advice comes from years of experience–always choose to stick with the budget. You will only regret spending more than you were planning on spending and it will create financial stress in your future. It might take longer, but you need to find something that actually works with the money that you’ve set aside for buying a house. If you do, you will be a happier family with less financial stress on your shoulders.
3. Think About Remodeling
Remodeling is always an option. Let’s say that you find a house that is perfectly in your budget (maybe even a little cheaper) but it has one fewer room or the layout of the house isn’t what you were hoping for. Don’t just pass up the house. You might want to factor in the cost of remodeling the house and if that’s still in your budget, this might just be your dream house after all. It’s perfectly fine to remodel aspects of your home right after you buy it. Again, just make sure that remodeling isn’t going to push you outside of your budget.
4. Picture Your Family in the Home
Your family is the reason why you’re moving. Maybe your old home was getting too small for a family that’s always growing. Or, maybe you’re moving to a location that has better schools for your children. Sometimes, people move because they were offered a better job that will help them to better care for their family. Most of the time, the move is fueled by the desire to have a better location for the family. Because of that, the family should be at the heart of the home. Can you image your family happily living in the home? If no, then you should keep looking. If yes, then this might be the home for you.
Just make sure that your family is happy with the choice. Encourage your children to be apart of the move as well so that they know that their voices are valued in these big decisions.
