What are your Wants and Needs?

• • Information for Buyers
    • Documents needed for applying for a Mortgage
    • What are your Wants and Needs?
    • The Real Estate Agent
    • “The Search” Starting to look for your new home
    • Advice for 1st Time Home Buyers and others…
    • The Contract ~ The Offer
    • Home Inspections and Other Tests
    • While You Are Waiting for the Closing Date
    • Home Buying Questions to Ask Me About
    • Understanding Your Local Real Estate Market
  • About Brevard
  • Information for Sellers
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  • Real Estate Glossary FAQ’s
  • Insurance Providers

Now for the fun part…what are you Wants and Needs?

Now is the time to start to make “THE LIST” of the features that are “must have”, “No Way” & “Would be nice”. Then make a list of “Absolutely Not” as well. If you have time to organize them in priority that is good too! Pick at least 3 items off of each list that are “tops”. If you are buying with someone else have them do the same thing and don’t share your ideas until you have both completed the exercise.

The “Must-Have’s Features:

• Location, location location. specify neighborhoods, condo complexes, towns or school district.
• Number of bedrooms, bathrooms, garage, a large kitchen, a view, a pool
• Restrictions against a home-based business, storage of an RV or a boat, parking of a pick up truck or work vehicle or riding of a motorcycle.
• Must it be one level, with few or no steps.
• List every feature you feel is a must.

The “Would-be-nice” List:

• A deck or fence
• Whirlpool or Garden tubs, walk-in closets.
• A certain type of architecture
• Gas Stove
• Large lot or no lot.
• List all features that are important to you–but that you might be flexible about.

Column 3, List Features You Do NOT Want:

• A location next to a highway or in a congested area.
• Certain types of architecture.
• Homes that need “a fix it man” with the home
• List all features you absolutely cannot live with or do not want to change

Review your list and the one prepared by your co-buyer. Review your priorities and see if you can get them to match.

This process is a good exercise because it forces you to think about your wants and needs and where your priorities lie, but it is almost guaranteed that your list will change and evolve when you actually begin to look at houses. Even home buyers with an unlimited budget rarely find the “perfect” home so be prepared to make some compromises on a couple of your items.