Tips For Finding the Right Home for Your Family!

Buying a house is a complicated process, but some of the stress of the process can be alleviated if you know what you are looking for before you ever start viewing houses. You may already have a general idea of what you want in a home, but before going out to any potential homes, it is important to have a concrete list of what you want and what you don't want in a home.

Think first about your daily habits by asking yourself the following questions. Are you a makeup maven who needs plenty of storage in the bathroom? Are you a chef who needs a large and inviting kitchen? How much closet space will you need? How many bedrooms do you need? How many bedrooms do you want? Do you want a large yard for the kids and pets? What kinds of schools do you need access to? How close do you want to be to the center of town and essential amenities? Is there a specific church you would like to be close to?

Answering these questions will help you determine what features your potential house should have. Categorize your answers by "Deal breakers," "Would like to haves," and "Non-essential" elements. For example, you may absolutely need three bedrooms to accommodate your children, but you might like to have a fourth to use an office or playroom, while a non-essential might be a basement or sunroom.

Then, think about the design features of the house. Would you prefer something modern and chic? Do you prefer something cozy and classic? While the design might not be as important as the number of rooms or size of the kitchen, it may end up being a tiebreaker between two similar homes. Do you want a two-story house or a one story house? Should the exterior be paneled, stucco, or brick?

Bringing the answers to these questions, along with your itemized list, to your meeting with your realtor can make it much easier for them to find you a suitable house. Will a clear idea of what you do and do not want, you can save time and money.

For more information about how to pick the right home for your needs, follow the Century 21 blog on Patch!