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21
House Hunting Wisdom: Separating True Needs from Wants
Before you start your search for a new home, it's important to have a list of all the things you want it to have. This will help you narrow your search and find what you're looking for more efficiently. But even though there are plenty of Pensacola homes for sale, finding one that ticks every box on your list is next to impossible. Fortunately, our real estate agents can help you not only make your list but separate the features you want from things you truly need. Here's how to prioritize your list.
- Needs
Your needs are the absolute essentials to accommodate your family and your lifestyle. For instance, say you've just had a new baby, and your family of three is now a family of four. You'll probably need more bedrooms to accommodate everyone. Or maybe you have outdoor pets and need enough room in the backyard for them to run and play in. Maybe you have two cars and need a garage to hold them both. Location can be a need, too. You may need to be within a certain distance from your job or in a neighborhood safe for children in a good school district. Think about all the things you're not willing to compromise on. Those are your needs. - Must-Haves
Must-haves go a step beyond needs. These are the most important factors essential for basic functioning. For instance, if someone in your household has mobility issues, you'll need a bedroom on the ground floor. If you don't drive, you'll need something near public transportation to get you to and from work in a reasonable amount of time. These are the things that go at the top of the list. All else is secondary. - Wants
This is your wish list: things you'd really like but could do without if necessary. A lot of amenities fall into this category. You may want a place with a washer/dryer, but you can buy your own in a pinch. Or maybe you'd like an extra room to convert to a home office. Important, but if it comes down to a choice between an extra room and a two-car garage, you'd sacrifice the room and do your work at the kitchen table. Other wants may include a swimming pool, a garden, or a deck. Know upfront which features you'd be willing to sacrifice and prioritize them. Assuming the house meets all your needs, would you rather have a garden or a pool? Also, many of these things can be added with renovations once you've bought the house. - Don't Cares
These are the features and amenities that don't matter to you either way. If you typically order in instead of cooking, then a big, well-equipped kitchen won't hold any appeal. However, since these things are often important to other homebuyers, they can drive the cost up. If a house is within your budget and has these things, you won't turn them down. But if a cheaper house doesn't have these features, better to go with that one.
If you need help figuring out which home features you need or want, and which ones you can do without, we can guide you through the process and help you make a prioritized list—then find you a home that ticks as many of the boxes as possible, while still being within your budget. Contact us to start the homebuying process.