Time and time again I see clients of looking for the “perfect home”. Before we go any further let’s get one thing out of the way, the perfect home doesn’t exist. Even if you start from scratch and buy the lot you think is perfect, hire the architect you think is perfect, work on the plans for months, hire the builder that is perfect, and build the perfect dream home you will still wake up one day and say “I wish the closet was there and not here”. There will always be something wrong. There will always be hindsight. You will always say “why did we build that cabinet there?”.
The best thing you can do when buying a home is to make a list including everything you MUST have. Are schools important? Is all main floor living something you must have or just want? How many bedrooms? Baths? Do you need a horse property? Do you need acreage? Does the master have to have it’s own bath? Is a large kitchen important or do you eat out 6 days a week? These are all things that may be important to you but may not have been important to the person that built the house 30 years ago.
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Preparing Your Home for Sale: The Art of Home Staging
The Myth of the Perfect Home
In the world of real estate, many clients are on the quest for the “perfect home.” However, it’s important to understand that the concept of a perfect home is largely a myth. Even if you were to build your dream home from scratch, selecting the ideal lot, hiring the best architect and builder, and meticulously planning every detail, there will inevitably be aspects you wish you could change. From wishing the closet was in a different location to questioning the placement of a cabinet, hindsight always brings new perspectives.
Prioritizing Your Must-Haves
When buying a home, the most effective strategy is to create a list of features that you absolutely must have. This could include factors such as the quality of local schools, the need for main floor living, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the necessity for a horse property, the size of the kitchen, and whether the master bedroom must have its own bathroom. Keep in mind that what may be important to you might not have been a priority for the person who built the house 30 years ago.
The Art of Compromise
Finding a home often involves a degree of compromise. If your must-have list consists of 50 items, it’s likely that you’ll struggle to find a home that meets all these criteria. You might end up viewing so many homes that when you finally “settle” for one, you could experience buyer’s remorse and dissatisfaction with your choice.
Consider Potential Additions
One strategy to consider is looking for a home that you can add onto. For instance, if you require a 4-bedroom home but fall in love with a 3-bedroom property that is significantly cheaper than any 4-bedroom homes you’ve seen, you could consider buying the 3-bedroom home and adding an additional room. This approach requires some outside-the-box thinking, but it can result in a solution that perfectly meets your needs.
Buying a Home
When it comes to buying a home, understanding your priorities, being open to compromise, and considering potential additions can help you find a property that comes as close as possible to your idea of a perfect home. Remember, the goal is to find a home that you love and that meets your most important needs. With a bit of flexibility and creativity, you can turn a house into your dream home.
There will always be a little give and a little take when it comes to buying a home. If you have a list of 50 things on your must have list, it’s not very practical. Chances are you will look at so many homes that when you finally break down and “settle” for a home, you will get buyers remorse and not be happy with choice.
The other thing to think about is looking at a home that you can add onto. A situation one of I ran ran into someone wanted (had to have) a 4 bedroom home. They looked and looked and found a 3 bedroom they fell in love with. It was $100k less than any of the 4 bedrooms they found. What did they do? They bought the 3 bedroom and did an addition. The septic was permitted for a 4 bedroom and the addition came in just under $60k. They got exactly what they wanted by thinking outside the box and finding a solution that was more than acceptable to them.
