When you embark on the home-buying process, your heart is filled with all the dreams in the world. It’s really easy to get caught up in the “I have to have ___________, so I’ll cut back somewhere else ” game, even when you don’t actually know where that somewhere else is or if you can realistically cut back there. Today we’re cutting through alllllll the stuff and making sure you get the things you really NEED.
Make a List of Wants
Start by making a list of everything you want in your house. If you love it, jot it down. Have your spouse or partner do the same thing in a separate document.
Once you and your partner have everything down, start sorting your wants by order of importance. What’s your No. 1? Do you need large windows? How about a sunroom? Double sinks in the master? You get the idea.
Come up with your top 10, and then compare your list to your partner’s top 10. What things appear on both lists? Those items should carry more weight because you both want them in your home.
Highlight the Important Stuff
Next, look at your list and consider:
- The things that can’t be changed without a massive investment. I’m talking things like square footage, window size, and number of bedrooms. This is your heavyweight list. These things should take priority in your home-buying decision.
- Features that are purely cosmetic, especially things that can be DIYed. These items should be moved waaay down the list or taken off entirely. Backsplash tile, paint color, and lighting can all be changed inexpensively and after you’re living in your house. You don’t want to pass up a fantastic house because you can’t see past a red accent wall.
At this point, you should have a combined list of 10 or so items.
My last tip is to figure out the priority of each one of the items. Ask yourself, would you be willing to give up item number 4, say, to have item number 5? Would you be willing to give up hardwood floors for a home theater room? This is the hardest question to answer, but it’ll put your must-haves in the right order.
I always picture this activity like an eye appointment when the doctor says, “1 or 2? OK, now 2 or 3?” Do that with your list! Pool or flooring? Flooring or yard size? Yard size or square footage? Make sense?
Bring Your List When You Look at a Home
As you’re out looking at houses, keep your list handy. Maybe you’re not willing to give up hardwood floors for a jetted tub, but would you be willing to compromise for a jetted tub and extra square footage? Refer back to your must-haves list often. It’s easy to get distracted.
Here’s a quick checklist that I use when searching for a home. If you answer “yes” to all of these, then a “want” may be worth the splurge — that is, if you can be sure that you’ll be able to afford the feature (in terms of your monthly mortgage payments and living expenses).
- Is it on both of your lists?
- Is it something that’ll be extremely expensive and difficult to change or add?
- Would you be willing to sacrifice something else to have it?
- Would you feel like your house would be incomplete without it?
Happy house hunting!
This post is sponsored by The National Association of Realtors. All opinions are 100% my own. For additional posts in this series, check out HouseLogic.com
What is the source of the bath vanity light shown? Thanks!
I love this! My hubby and I house hunted for 6 months starting last summer. Our must between the 2 of us was acreage. He also really wanted a large garage/barn. I wanted old and full of character. We found (finally) a 100 year old farm house, work 2 acres and a 1500 square foot garage. It felt like it took forever but I love our new house.
Where we live, there were only 2 houses worth considering. One was too small. And, the other was just a bit too large. Other than that, there was a gorgeous house that needed HVAC and a kitchen re-do. It would have costs just as much to buy it as it would to add what it needed! Others were in the actual sticks, and still others were foreclosures. We bought the house that was a bit too big, but it helps to have a little bit of square footage when we need to move things around to paint.We’re still painting. We’re doing it ourselves, and one of us has a job and the other has mobility issues. We’ll get it done, because we aren’t going anywhere else in the next few years!
We ended up buying last July the first house we looked at – I had been eyeing it online, and came out to see it w/ our agent the day after my husband gave the green light on house hunting (he was so content at our old house, while I was itching to get house hunting!). I walked in and just KNEW it. We called my husband out right then, he came in and walked around, and said “Yeah, this is not it”. I was deflated, but kept my mouth shut. We continued to look around, and I pointed out all we could do since this house was at the low end of our budget (leaving a good chunk of change for a big reno).
We both went back to work, and by the time we were sitting at the dinner table later that evening, my husband was totally on board (and excited!). I spent another day w/ the agent powering through ten other listings, just to see what was out there (per my husband’s request – this was my fourth house hunting venture, and I wanted something very specific which the first house had on all levels), it was a good exercise and confirmed my love of the first house.
We are now 5 weeks into a major remodel – that alone took months to plan, but I am reeling with excitement for the process. Yes, it’s stressful but our GC is awesome; I love coming home every week day to see what’s changed. This week we have three structural beams being installed in the ceiling, as we removed a huge wall that separated the family room/living room/kitchen and dining rooms (achieving 1600 SF of open-space living). And we are finally moving on to the kitchen too, total gut job and we’re changing the layout. We’ll be done just in time for summer…..
Mandi, this is so helpful. We move cross country in June and I’m in the throes of trying to work out what we’re looking for in a new house, what we can do without, how we want to use our space and what functions we need each space to achieve. Bam! Sorted, with the help of this post. And it’s a sponsored post too, so don’t be thinking that sponsored content is lame or unpopular because this is a genuine game-changer for me.
Cheers, Elisha.
Thanks for sharing your tips and tricks, buying a home always tests a relationship especially when you both want different things. This is a great way to reduce arguing, stress, and make sure the home you choose is a win win for both of you. I love shopping around for homes, although I have a hard time imagining the DIY projects, unfortunately we’re not all as creatively blessed as you are. I tend to seek home decor help on pinterest, which can become a problem. I should just take you house hunting with me next time!
Charlotte Lindsay | http://www.maelmoderndecor.com
Nice list. Sounds like how I went about finding a spouse.