When it comes to house hunting, one of the most important factors is whether a home actually fits the life you want to live. While it’s common for some buyers to focus on certain finishes in a given home, homebuyers should instead spend time evaluating what they want from their home.
From layout and room sizes to furniture considerations and more, use the following tips to make the right decisions during your home search:
Size and Square Footage
The overall footprint of a home is one of the primary factors that impact its price. This is why every home shopper should ask themselves two important questions when considering the size and square footage during their search:
- How much space do you need?
- How will you use that space?
Some buyers may find themselves needing more space in the immediate future. Maybe they have a newborn on the way, kids who are outgrowing their nurseries, or aging parents moving in. On the other hand, other buyers may look to downsize if their children recently moved out or if they’re in search of an easier home for which to care.
While the budget will influence the size of the home you should choose, you should still outline the amenities and priorities you desire. Even smaller budgets can allow for more space. Determine how many bedrooms and bathrooms you think you’ll need, if you want a walk-in closet, where you’ll keep storage items, and how you’ll use any flex spaces available in a home.
Layout and Design
It's common to see new construction homes that are built with open floorplans. These homes often have large, spacious areas where dining, kitchen, and living spaces blend into a single area. In some cases, they even have flex spaces, which can be used for pretty much anything, from offices to playrooms and more. On the other hand, more traditional floorplans have individual rooms that are separated by doors or entryways.
Homebuyers have other considerations aside from the open versus traditional dichotomy. For example, shoppers will want to determine if they’d like a single story or two-story home. Likewise, will they want a downstairs primary bedroom, or would they prefer one upstairs?
During your homebuying journey, start by making a list of your layout preferences. Many websites — including livelegendhomes.com — allow buyers to apply filters during their search to help narrow down and find the best floorplan layout that fits their wants and needs.
Types of Homes
There is a wide variety of home types available in every market, each offering something slightly (or sometimes vastly) different for the home's occupants.
Common property types include condos, single-family homes, townhomes, and tiny homes. If you want a particular layout or floorplan, sometimes you have to select the home type that best matches that layout. These differences can vary from one market to the next, so the best way to evaluate them is to get in touch with your sales professional or REALTOR to learn more.
Planning for Furniture Needs
While you shouldn't buy a house just to accommodate your current furnishings, you need to plan for their placement (or possible replacement).
Similarly, if you already have furniture for specific rooms, break out the measuring tape to ensure that your pieces will fit (or be ready to replace them). Other people use painter’s tape to help visualize the space before they set their furniture down.
Either way, there’s nothing worse than moving to a new place and realizing that your couch is too big for the living room.
Pros and Cons
Even the best layout can come with disadvantages, so consider the pros and cons before making a final decision.
For example, open floorplans work well for people who love to entertain or prefer the spacious look and feel but can also be a bit trickier to define a specific space in your home, as most common area rooms blend into one another.
Regardless of your decision, make sure to assess your priorities and weigh the pros and cons carefully before you move forward with the purchase.
