Before you start looking at houses: Make a list

If you are thinking of buying a home, I’m sure you have thought about all the things you want. Now write it down!!  Really think about what you need vs what you want and make a list.  The most important thing about your priority list is to remember that it is not written in stone.  Things change.  If you have a guide it gives you and your Realtor a place to begin.  When you begin house hunting, follow your list and you may find the perfect house.  However, if you feel like nothing you are seeing is quite right, then make a new list of things you might consider and be open minded.  Sometimes a little creativity is all that is needed.

The Priority List for House Hunting

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Baths: Again, what do you really need?  Also, be careful of what is listed as a bathroom.  We once saw a “1.5 bath”.  The half bath was a closet with a toilet.  You could not even sit on the toilet and close the door.

Location: Is there a specific town or radius?  Do you want space between you and the neighbors?  What kind of street do you want?  I swore I would not buy a house on a busy street…I bought a house on a highway!  We have a berm and the house is set back very far.  Our driveway is so long it is equal to pulling out from a side street onto a busy road…except you don’t get people behind you waiting to turn.  For more ideas, read my post “Country Mouse or City Mouse? Where do you want to live?” 

Schools: If you do not need a particular district, this is one less thing to worry about.  If it is an issue, you can find boundary maps online as well as checking the tax bill.  Do not trust the listing and always always double check.  The listing sheet for our house showed the house in a less desirable district…then I checked the tax bill and realized it was wrong!  It was in the district I wanted and was one of the final selling points for us.

Garage: Attached, detached, multiple cars?  The hubby insisted on a detached garage which was unusual to our Realtor.  The hubby likes to work on cars and does not want exhaust and other fumes to enter the house.  He liked a distance to the garage.  Think about what you will really use the garage for?  Not everyone keeps their cars there.

Outbuildings and acreage: What do you plan to do at this house.  Do you need storage or want animals?  I found it very difficult to search by these items.  I cannot tell you how many times a house would come up as something like 10 acres when it actually was 0.1 acres.  Also, outbuildings vary greatly.  Be prepared for a listing to mention outbuildings, but the condition may not be mentioned. For ideas of what to do with your acres, read: Homesteading, Permaculture, Self-Sufficiency…Oh my!

Turn key or Fixer-upper: Whichever you chose, there will always be something that needs to be fixed.  Just decide how much you feel you can handle and afford.  We looked at a lot of fixer-uppers that even my super handy hubby said were just too much for our budget and his schedule.

Be Prepared to Ignore that list….

When we began house hunting, I wanted a classic farmhouse and our priorities were 3-4 bedrooms, at least a bath and a half, around 2000 square feet, a basement, outbuildings, detached garage, quiet street and good schools.  The one thing I refused to waiver on was the schools even though it limited our search a bit.  I have 2 preschoolers and 2 step-sons that live with us part time.  Our final choice…..2 bedrooms, 1 bath, a basement, detached garage and pole barn, on a highway with good schools…and we couldn’t be happier.  It’s not a farmhouse, but that’s okay. It has a pond, amazing wildlife, and lots of hidden treasures.  In the Spring, I would fall asleep with the windows open to the sounds of toads singing me to sleep.  It was magic.