So, you are ready to take the plunge and search for your dream home. But, what does your dream home actually look like? You may have been renting for years or you may have moved a few times flipping houses along the way, only to find yourself with itchy feet after a while. Now, you want to put down roots and settle for the foreseeable future. How do you ensure that you won’t be getting itchy feet once again?
Consider what it is that you want from a home. The easiest way to do this is to consider your lifestyle. Think about where you need to be for work, the kids’ school, and proximity to your nearest and dearest. This will give you the area to look in but won’t tell you the sort of house to buy. The choice is endless, from new builds to period homes. You need to consider what is the best fit for you. Take a look at this guide to help you figure out what it is that you really want from your dream home.
Age
For some people, the thought of purchasing an old thatched cottage or a Victorian red brick villa fills them with dread. They want new to ensure reliability, cost-effectiveness, and low maintenance. However, for others, the thought of something new with no character or history is even worse. Think about what you want from your home. Older, period properties can give you something unique and a heritage and history that you don’t get with modern dwellings. Old fireplaces with decorated cast iron hearths alongside cornice and beautiful ceiling roses can be stunning. If a property has been well looked after, the maintenance should still be minimal. There is a reason that these old homes are still standing now – they were built well and with great skill.
Other people love the thought of something fresh and modern that they can move into and enjoy immediately. Consider looking at the luxury real estate in your area and you will probably find some great open plan homes more conducive to twenty first century living. The balance is between character and modernity. Which is more fit for your lifestyle?
Space
If you are keen to get as much bang for your buck, then you probably want to maximize the square footage that you can achieve for your budget. To do this, look for the worst house on the best street. This gives you the opportunity to be in the location of your dreams but you may need to work a little harder to create the home of your dreams. Buying a home that needs renovation can seem like a challenging prospect. However, it also gives you the chance to put your own personal stamp on a pad, creating your dream home from the bare bones of a dwelling.
Consider reconfiguring a home to make it fit your lifestyle. If you want to knock through to create a large open plan kitchen diner complete with bifold doors and skylight to let in natural light, or fix up the garage with a new garage door – you can do this if the budget allows. You can enjoy a lot more freedom with a home that needs some money spending on it to bring it up to standard. This can also be fun and give you the chance to maximize the amount of equity you have in your bricks and mortar asset. You can also upgrade fixtures in your home especially bathroom fixtures. A macerating toilet, also called an upflush toilet, is worth considering. This fixture typically uses less water, so they’re also pretty environmentally friendly.
The Feels
For many people, a dream home is all about the feeling it gives you when you walk in. You know whether they are interested in a house within the first fourteen seconds of walking in. Homes have vibes. Some feel warm, cozy and friendly whereas others feel cold, stark and characterless. This is unique to different people. What is one person’s idea of horror dwelling will be another person’s dream pad. You need to explore the market and go on some viewings. Consider what is available in your area of choice and go to as many open house events as possible.
When you view the home of your dreams, you will know and get the feels. This feeling might make you feel warm and fuzzy inside, or you may feel excited, or you may not be able the bear the thought of anyone else securing the property. This is when you know that you have found the home of your dreams.
Follow this guide and consider what you want out of your next property purchase. Before long, you will be moving onto pastures new and securing your dream home.
