I've known real estate agents to show clients over a hundred homes only realize that the first house they saw was the one their client liked best. You don't have to see 20, 50, or even a hundred homes to find that one perfect house for you if you start by first building a criteria of what you're looking for in your next home.
Most start with the basics (bedrooms, bathrooms, garage, location) but that's just the beginning. Here are some other things to consider when you're putting together your criteria:
- Distance to work, church, friends, etc
- Distance to shopping?
- Do you entertain and if so how many at a time?
- Do you need space for your hobbies or home office?
- How much work can you reasonably do or can afford to do?
- Do you have pets and are there special requirements that go along with owning pets?
- Do you use your kitchen to cook more often than you tend to eat out or get carry out?
- If you're not planning on hiring a lawn service, how long do you want to spend on lawn work?
- What are somethings that you've seen in other homes that you like and what are somethings that you didn't?
Now, you can take this criteria and your budget to find the perfect home for you much more efficently. Here's a sample of the criteria for myself.
- Single Family Detached Home
- 3 Bedroom plus den or bonus room or 4 bedrooms minimum
- 2.5+ Bathrooms
- Matthews, Mint Hill, Stallings, Indian Trail, Weddington, Wesley Chapel no more than 30 minutes to church.
- Brick, Stucco, Hardieboard Siding only
- Distance to work doesn't work matter but high speed internet is a must
- Yes we entertain 10-15 people per weekend so a large family room is a must with a large kitchen that flows into the family room a plus.
- Yes, we need space for home office and additional space in the garage for hobbies.
- A fixer is ok if the work can be completed for less than $15,000
- Yes, we have 2 large dogs and so we need .4 acres or more fenced in.
- Yes we need to have a functional kitchen, appliance color doesn't matter but quality does. I prefer a convection oven and enough room for table in the kitchen, large pantry.
- Must have a large soaking or jetted tub in the master bathroom or room to add one.
Jonathan Osman
Charlotte NC Homes, Charlotte Real Estate
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