Are you ready to start looking at listings and attending open houses? Save the time of Dream home hunting by utilising our checklist to determine exactly what you require and desire in a property.
Now that you’ve been pre-approved and know how much you can spend, it’s time to start looking for a home. However, if you don’t know what your “ideal” house looks like, your search will quickly come to a halt.
It’s easy to talk about wanting a “large” house or an “older” house in broad terms. However, you must think about your Dream home in order to effectively target your real estate search. Will your “large” house be 2,400 or 5,000 square feet? Do you mean a home constructed before 1900 or before 1980 when you say “older” home?
Make a Dream home list
Make a list of your requirements and wants before going to another open house – and yes, they are two separate things. You might desire a pool, but you could probably do without it. (It’s also worth noting that having a pool may increase your home insurance premiums.)
Understand that as you learn more about your home alternatives, your list of requirements will most likely change. For example, proximity to the beach may be a top priority at first, but once you see the size of ocean-front houses available in your price range, you may decide that a short drive to the sea is acceptable. Unless you have a limitless budget, you’ll almost certainly have to make trade-offs along the road.
Use the advice and questions below to help you determine what you enjoy and don’t like about your existing house, so you can discover more comfort and pleasure in your ideal home. Then, using this printable checklist, score key house characteristics as “Must Have,” “Like to Have,” or “Don’t Care.”
Know your finances
In a competitive market, getting your finances in order before looking for your ideal house may make all the difference. Setting a budget and determining how much financial wiggle space you have will help you see your must-haves more clearly. Consider the following questions:
- Are you pre-approved for a mortgage?
- What’s your price range?
- How much do you have saved for a down payment? What about future repairs?
- Are you willing to do extra renovations or do you want a turnkey property?
Consider your current lifestyle and plan for the future
You could have a vision of your ideal house, or you might not know where to begin when it comes to picturing your future home. It could be helpful to think about your essential necessities and non-negotiables in a property initially. Start by thinking about where you now live – what are your favourite aspects of your house, and what do you need to change? Consider whether or not:
- You need space for a future nursery or a home office
- Do You need any special features for your pets like a fenced-in yard?
- You need wheelchair access or limited stairs
- Do you need a space for a car or is street parking sufficient
- Walkability is important to you
- You plan on changing jobs in the next 1-2 years
Pick your preferred Dream home style and type
Once you’ve mastered the fundamentals, it’ll be easier to figure out what characteristics you want in a home. Consider the various sorts of houses on the market in the neighbourhoods where you want to buy, and keep in mind that you may use keywords to help limit down your selections while searching for homes on Zillow. Consider the following questions:
- How many stories do you want?
- Do you want to live in a townhouse, condo or single-family house?
- Could you live in a historic home?
- How many bedrooms?
- How many bathrooms?
- Want a guest room?
- What type of flooring do you like?
- What architectural styles do you like best?
- What’s your favourite room, and what makes spending time there enjoyable?
- If you have an outdoor space, do you enjoy spending time there?
- Do you enjoy taking care of a yard… or feel burdened by it (be honest!)?
Choose a Dream Home Location
You can change the paint colours of your house or construct an addition to increase the square footage, but you can’t change the location of your house. It’s easy to get caught up in the amenities of a home when looking for one, but you should also examine its surroundings:
- Do you prefer urban, suburban or rural?
- What city do you want to live in?
- Do you want easy access to highways or public transportation?
- How important is the view?
- Can you sleep easily with traffic noise?
- Do you want to be involved in community activities?
- Are there parks within walking or biking distance?
- Do the property taxes and/or HOA fees fit your budget?
Get to know the neighbourhood
Do you believe you’ve located the ideal property in the ideal location? It’s still a good idea to go about the area before buying and ask yourself the following questions:
- Are you happy with your neighbourhood?
- Are there enough activities going on around you — or too many?
- Do you have to travel far for basics such as groceries or a doctor’s appointment?
- Are you happy with your commute?
Document your Visit
When it’s time to give your house a tour, compare the features to the features on your checklist. Do any of your must-haves need to be re-evaluated?
Get a feel for the place and think about anything you might have forgotten to include on your list. Remember that while paint may be replaced and staged furniture can be changed, there are some things that cannot be changed:
- Is there enough space or too much space?
- Where could you use more space?
- How would you describe the layout?
- Do you like the fixtures and finishes?
- Are you happy with the windows (enough natural light, well-placed, too sunny)?
- Does the home have curb appeal?
- Does the home have adequate parking?
Once you know what you’re looking for in a home, you’ll be ready to find the right agent to partner with for your search. Identifying your priorities will help you find the perfect property. Happy house hunting!