Buying a home can be very exciting, but knowing what you can afford and what qualities you are most interested in, before jumping in the car can save a lot of time and frustration in the long run. When designing your wish list you want to take into consideration your values, wants and needs, your desired locations, and the items you won’t budge on. Below is a list of questions to ask yourself and then talk over with your Yellow Dog Agent.
- What is the Price range I am comfortable with/ or pre-qualified for?
- How much space do I need and why?
- Is my family still growing? What are their needs?
- Are schools a factor?
- Desired number of bedrooms and bathrooms?
- For living and dining areas do I want a more traditional, formal, open or contemporary layout?
- Which is more critical: location or size?
- What lot size fits my needs?
- How many stories and what style?
- How much square footage is desirable?
- Is having a garage important? Would I want one or two-car garage?
- Would I be interested in a fixer-upper?
- Would I be interested in a condo or townhome?
- Would I be interested in new home construction?
- How important is home value appreciation?
- Is neighborhood stability a priority?
- Do I need to be within commuting distance of a certain town for job possibilities?
- What about closeness to shopping centers and restaurants?
- What features and amenities do I want? Which do I really need? (some examples include: office, play/exercise room, security system, sprinkler system, in-law suite, fireplace, pool, hot tub, wooded lot, patio/deck/porch)
- Is this house our 5 year plan or our 20 year plan? How does this decision affect our needs?
- Do we prefer to be in a neighborhood with HOA restrictions?
- Also think about what your top 3 priorities are when looking for your new home.