House hunting? You’re not JUST buying a house, you are buying a lifestyle! This means when you’re writing out your list of must-have home features and deal breakers, you need to think beyond the “house facts” and figure out which features to focus on that will give you the lifestyle you want to live.
As a buyer, you might say you’re are looking for a 3 bedroom home with a gameroom on at least an acre and with an updated kitchen. An example of what you really looking for and what we hear is maybe you need a place to raise your growing family, a kitchen that overlooks a nice backyard where you can watch your kids play catch while you make dinner, and extra space for games, toys and movie night! That’s just an example, but you get the idea! So the lifestyle you are going to have in your new home is something you want to consider when determining which home features are best for your needs. It is our priority to ensure you are happy with the home YOU will live in.
Number one - YES. LOCATION MATTERS FOR YOUR LIFESTYLE! You hear it all the time – it’s all about the location, location, location, location… and it really is true! Because while you can change paint colors, counter tops and put on that massive deck you’ve always dreamed of, you can’t move your house to a new spot!
Think of things like what your work commute will be like, how far of a drive you’re willing to have each day, the features you want in your community, and the school district you want to be in if that is important to you. Do you want to be in close proximity to schools? What about dining and shopping? Do you want to be set further back from the road for privacy? The location of your home will be something that isn’t going to change so figure out what is essential to you when it comes to the location of your home and the lifestyle it will create!
Now let’s talk about the home features that fit your lifestyle. When you think of home features it’s easy to automatically jump to your running list of criteria such as the size of the garage, how many bedrooms you want, that it must have an updated kitchen and all of the “house facts” like we mentioned before. However, you are ultimately buying a lifestyle, not just a house. So we have some things for you to consider when it comes to the type of lifestyle you are ultimately looking for when you make a move!
Where do you spend most of your time at home? If you love to cook and spend most of your time in the kitchen, we think you’ll want to prioritize the layout of the kitchen when looking for a home. You can always add in upgraded quartzite countertops or that dreamy double oven, but the size, layout and location of the kitchen should be a top concern if you don’t want to do any major renovations!
What is something you wish you had in your current home?
What is something you don’t want any longer in your current home? Is your yard a lot to maintain and you want something smaller with a lot less maintenance? Maybe it’s the opposite and your current yard is just too small for the lifestyle you have making one of your top priorities having a bigger yard with privacy.
Which room in your house do you spend the most time in?
How much space do you need to live comfortably and be able to enjoy the things you love the most?
Are you hoping to have enough bathrooms to avoid chaotic mornings trying to get the kids ready for school?
The reason why we ask our clients these questions is to help them determine which features could be the most important to focus on. We truly love this part of the process! Maybe features like hardwood floors aren’t as necessary as having a layout that is perfect for entertaining and hosting holiday parties. You can always swap out flooring later but the layout will be a little harder to change!
Think about how much time you want to put into your house. Are projects your thing? Many buyers are intent on finding a house they can remodel exactly they want they want which is awesome! However, they often don’t realize how much work, time and money it can take. TV shows can make remodeling and flipping houses look a lot easier than it is in reality. Consider how much time you have to spend on home projects before getting yourself into something that is over your head and potentially over your budget which leads us to…
Your lifestyle budget.
Lastly, make sure to budget for your lifestyle, not just your house. It’s important to consider how much you can afford comfortably, not just what you can afford on paper. Many buyers are pre-approved for a significantly higher amount than what they are actually comfortable spending on a monthly basis. Think about other expenses you have when it comes to your lifestyle – what else is important to you? Do you love to travel or go out to nice dinners on a regular basis? Do you love attending as many games of your favorite football team as possible? What hobbies do you/your family have that cost money every month? Make sure the amount you spend on your house doesn’t eat up all of your extra funds so you’re glued to the house and can’t have any fun doing the things you love! Memories are everything!
If you’re considering buying a new home in the near future and you want to chat more about the type of lifestyle you’re looking for, leave us a message below or e-mail us so we can set up a time to grab coffee or a glass of wine together!
PS: Take a look at one of our most recent listings in sought after Hedwig Village! Zoned to prestigious schools and offering a pretty awesome lifestyle.
