How to find the "Perfect Home"

Many of us set out in a quest to find a perfect home, and after many months of looking at houses online and in person, we finally come to the realization that there is no such thing as "the perfect house". There is always something wrong with every house. It may be too big or too small, face the wrong direction, back up to an unknown lot, tied to the wrong schools, pool or no pool, carpet flooring, tile floors, gas, no gas, too old, too new, too far from work, yard is too big or too small, wrong colors, master up, master down, no deed restrictions, or too deed restrictive...and the lists go on and on. This is NOT necessarily a bad thing. Having a list of home features, means you know what you want in a new home. That is a great place to start your home search.

Now that you have a defined list of home features, the real work begins, but it can be easier than you think. If you can think about your new home in three buckets + your target budget, you can create a winning strategy:

1. Plan
2. Land
3. Place
4. + Price

The Plan is about finding a workable floor plan for you. Understanding what kind of floor plan works for you is the first critical process. This includes the number of bedrooms, baths, kitchen style, and over all space requirements. This does not include things that can be changed, fixed or easily rearranged. It is about the basic floor plan, flow and function.

The Land category is about finding a lot and property that works for you. A yard that is big enough, and has the right potential for your needs. Your opportune home may have perfect curb appeal or it may end up being a blank canvas that needs your personal touch. Either way, look for the potential of the lot and yard.

The Place is about finding the right community for you. Feeling good about the schools (if you have children), the street and the general area.

The Price. It goes without saying that all home features have a price. Buyers who try to mix and match features to get to the perfect home and expect that home at the perfect price, will be disappointed every time. Sellers know when their home is worth more money, and seldom do sellers give away value.

In the end, it is much easier to paint a house and change out kitchen counter tops, than it is to fix a bad school, or try to evict a street of bad neighbors. It is better to find a community that you love, a lot that you like, and a home that has a floor plan with potential to make you very happy. You can love living in a wonderful home--even if it falls short of absolute perfection.

Tweet

Subscribe to receive free email updates: