Most of us have an idea of what our dream house would look like. Unfortunately, the reality is that location and budget often narrow our choices! That is why it is so important to decide EXACTLY what you want - and write it down on paper.

Sounds simple. But over the next few weeks, you’ll see that the house buying process is one of the most intense, stressful, busy - and exciting - times of your life. So, BEFORE you start looking for a new house, it’s a good idea to have a very clear picture of the type of house you want.

Of course, once you start looking at houses in the Raleigh area, your list can change. You may find things that you had never thought of. Or, you may find that things you thought were important may not be anymore.

So don’t be afraid to make changes.

According to Kris Bickell of House Buying Tips.com, when writing your list, think of all the qualities you want in a house…and in a neighborhood…and in a town (or city). Include EVERYTHING you think is important. While this won’t guarantee that you will get everything you want, it will help you to prioritize what you think is most important.

Here are some of the items you should include on your
list:

• Town or city (which towns do you WANT to live in, which ones would you live in if you had to, which ones would you NOT live in no matter what!)

• Area of town

• School system

• Type of neighborhood (With kids, without kids, close to highway or main road, out in the country, etc)

• Type of house (Cape, Ranch, Colonial, etc) Size of house (Square footage, number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, etc.)

• Size of rooms

• Layout of house

• Yard (Landscaped nicely so you don’t have to do any work getting it in good shape, not as nicely landscaped so you might get a better deal but need to put in more work, etc.) Price (Are you willing to pay less for an older house or one that needs more work?)

• Anything else that is important to you (For example, I knew I did not want a house on a hill. But our first offer was for a house on a hill. Which left me feeling very uncomfortable. Luckily, the deal fell through, but without a list I got caught up in the excitement.) If you’re not sure what to put on your list, take a walk through the house or apartment you are living in now. Take a walk through the neighborhood. Visit a friend or neighbor. The more information you have, the better!

(NOTE: If you are buying your house with someone else, make sure you ask your spouse, partner, or significant other what they think is important as well. If at all possible, try to combine your list so you can work
together.)

Once your list is ready, put the items on your list in order of importance, so when you have a million other little details in your mind, you can look at your list and not have to rely on your memory.

Tags: Triangle Real Estate //