When I first meet with a homebuyer, whether they have purchased a home previously or if they are first time buyers, I give all prospective buyers their own wants and needs survey. It is important that they complete these independently for a couple of reasons.
1. You may not realize how important something is to the other person. For example, I helped a young couple last summer in their home search. They had been married for about 2 years and when completing their surveys, the wife indicated a must have of a formal dining room. The husband had no idea that this was important to her. She was looking to inherit her grandmother's dining room set and china cabinet along with the china as a housewarming gift.
2. Aligning your must haves or would like to haves is important too. Depending on the price range, there may need to be compromises. For instance, if the budget is $200,000 in the Cedar Rapids area, the possibility of getting a home with a three car garage is not promising. If it is a must have, the price range may need adjustment or the expectation needs to be adjusted.
The goal in completing the surveys separately is to lead to an open discussion together of their top must haves. Once that list is combined, the search becomes easier. There are items that one party may not be willing to compromise on or give up. Therefore, there is no reason to look at homes that do not meet that minimum criteria. We may look at fewer homes, but they will be the RIGHT homes.
If you would like to meet to discuss your home finding needs, contact me for a needs/wants survey and we will set up a time to meet!
Keep smiling!
Karen
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