Real Estate with Dallice – Home wish list of needs and preferences
In the last post, we talked about goals. I wanted to get you thinking about the person you wish to be and the life you want to have. Did you notice on the Life Balance Wheel I gave you that your physical environment was one of the categories?
I have heard people say “I can live anywhere” – Heck, I’ve said it myself! And it’s true, to a certain point. But let’s not kid ourselves, we do have requirements and preferences for a safe and happy dwelling and it doesn’t pay to ignore them.
Home Wish List Needs
Needs begin with actual life sustaining requirements or the ability to add them quickly. In a home this could include such things as safe area for you, your family, your pets (crime, traffic, air quality), disability friendly, well maintained (dry, warm, lacks safety hazards or allergens).
To a lesser degree needs might also include zoned for a certain school, near public transit, close to family or work. Enough bedrooms that kids dont need to share, room to expand at a later date so you dont need to sell/buy again for a long time, affordably priced, yard for pets and kids, storage for gear, accommodates the dining table you wont part with, has enough parking, no HOA restrictions on RV’s, fences etc
Home Wish List Preferences
And then there are your preferences; Getting as many of these as you can in your new home is great, but not getting any one of these would not be a deal breaker. You always wanted a three car garage but could live with a two car? Would rather buy a home where the kitchen had already been updated? Prefer upstairs laundry area or a mud room just off the garage? Love or hate corner lots? Love the idea of a finished basement, but could finish it yourself if the purchase price was right?
Wish List Exercise
Each decision maker takes out a piece of paper and writes down the 5 most important desires in their new home, in order of importance. Compare the list with your partner. What I have found over the years is that while a couple may indeed be on the same page regarding their top 5 needs, they seldom have them in the same order of priority. While this seems like a small thing, when we are looking at homes it is easy for one person to “favorite” one home, while their partner prefers another. If the parties think they have the same priorities, their inability to agree on a house can be very confusing and frustrating.
The truth is that there will never be a “perfect fit”. Each property will have its pro’s and con’s. In order for a buyer to feel it’s worth making an offer on, they also need to feel it meets enough of their needs and preferences or has the potential to tick some more boxes with a little work. When there are two decision makers, this becomes even more complicated. It’s not impossible, but it requires each person to listen to and accept the other persons NEEDS, to compromise in areas that are not as important to themselves and to visualize the potential, rather than simply see what is there now.
My philosophy is that if you can find a home that meets 80% of your needs and the top 3 things on your list are among them, you have a winner. Don’t plan on finding your dream house. You’ll be looking for a long time and be disappointed!
My Wish List
Me personally? I lived in a 1955 brick ranch that lacked insulation, had crappy windows, a damaged roof, poor gutters and an inadequate water heater for years. My NEEDS were all about location. A yard with trees so the dog had shade, good neighbors and just enough space for work and home life. I knew I could work on the other stuff later. In time with my basic needs met (3 years down the line) I reached for more comfort and energy efficiency and an updated kitchen. It was 12 years before items like large closet, updated bathroom, guest bed and bath were added to my house. As you know, this didn’t kill me! 🙂
In summary, it helps to get a good understanding of what you need and want before you start shopping. It helps to understand your partners needs too!
Most importantly, I cannot help you find what you are looking for, if you don’t know what that is… And I want to help you.