What To Think About When Buying A Home

By Pammy McGrath


If you ask someone to describe their dream house, it's probably not hard for them to state dozens of amazing features about this perfect home. The reality is that while your realtor can certainly find a fantastic home that you will love for many years to come, it's probably not realistic to assume that you can fulfill 100% of your dreams. To make it easier to get close to your dream home, think about the following prior to looking for a home.

We all want the perfect house, but it's usually best to really focus on the main elements you need out of a home. For example, maybe you are working at home and you need a highly functional and private office space. Perhaps you have several children and need an adequate number of bathrooms and bedrooms to accommodate these needs. Maybe you have some mobility issues and need a single story home. A big yard also could be a big priority if you have a family or pets that need to run and play.

Location also is important. You might want to be out in the country or you might need close access to specific schools or want to be near your workplace. You cannot move a house, so you really need to love the location of your new home.

You need to be realistic about superficial items. If you hate the paint colors in a house or it's filled with ugly wallpaper circa 1965, you must look beyond these decorative features. It is important to know what architectural and design features are easy to change. Painting walls is inexpensive and fairly easy, so never let ugly paint dissuade you from purchasing a house that otherwise truly suits your needs. Simply changing paint can make a huge impact. It's more important to have a house that is large enough with a good layout than to have a home with perfectly updated decor. Decor can be changed easily, while layout is much more difficult to fix and sometimes impossible.

You also need to be realistic about your budget. For example, if you have a budget of $400,000, it doesn't mean that you have to spend that much and it also doesn't mean that you shouldn't look at homes that are slightly over budget. If you look at a house $10,000 over budget, you might be able to negotiate the price down. You also need to be realistic about what you can get for your budget. You might want a huge yard, three-car garage, updated kitchen and gigantic master bedroom, but sometimes our budget simply does not accommodate these wishes.

When you meet with your realtor, be sure to share your needs and your wishes. At Nixon Real Estate, your realtor will search for Fredericksburg real estate, Kerrville real estate or Texas Hill Country real estate that meets your needs and still stays within your budget. Whether you are looking for a fantastic family home, a vacation home or a large piece of property, the team at Nixon Real Estate can help make your dreams a reality.




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