Narrowing the search for your dream home

You may be looking for a home that’s close to work. Or close to the city. Or that has an active night life, theater/arts scene and lots of nice restaurants. You may prefer a walking city or town versus one where you have to drive everywhere. Maybe you’d like to live really close to your family (or really far away from them—no judgment). Whether you want to live in the heart of a metropolis or prefer the serenity of a secluded farm home, location can’t be overlooked.

Is off-street parking a must-have for you? What about a driveway? A garage? Would you be fine with street parking if there were plenty of spots available on the street? Will you want to be close to bus routes or a train station? Are bike lanes a priority for you because you plan to ride your bike to most nearby places?

Are you okay with window units on every floor and in every bedroom, or do you consider central air one of your must-haves?

If you have a large family, one bathroom may not be enough to live comfortably. What’s your magic number? Two and a half? Four? Keep in mind that adding a bathroom can be complicated and expensive.

Do you want a big backyard with a lawn where children can play and/or pets can frolic? Is a small cement backyard where you can grill or just sit and enjoy the outdoors enough for you? Are you hoping for a front yard where you can grow flowers and bushes that will impress people as they stroll along your street?

Maybe you’re counting on having a finished basement where you can watch sports, exercise, host game nights, build a home theater or use as another bedroom. Or would an attic or crawlspace you can use for storage suffice?

Some homeowners prefer a home bathed in sunlight during the day, craving that vibrance and warmth. Others may opt for a well-shaded home that stays cool throughout the day. While you may be able to plant trees or have trees removed after buying your home, anything beyond your property is out of your control.

Homes don’t exist in a vacuum. Your daily experience will be partly shaped by your interaction with your neighbors—or lack thereof. Do you want to live in a neighborhood where everyone keeps to themselves and privacy is paramount? Would you rather live somewhere where everybody knows your name and where people check in on one another?

If you have children or plan to be a parent, the school district you live in will be an important factor during the years your children are school-aged.

If you’re looking for a home you can move into with no renovation, painting or major cleaning, you’re likely to pay more but have fewer hassles during your move. If you don’t mind the time and sweat equity, purchasing a fixer-upper will save you money and allow you to put your own style into the home’s look.

A home with old appliances, HVAC, roof, water heater and so on will likely sell at a lower price, but be prepared for the large expense incurred if any of those big-ticket items need to be replaced. A home with newer appliances, HVAC and so on will carry a higher price tag but give you a sense of security.

With new construction, you’re getting a home built to the most recent safety standards where you know all the big-ticket items we mentioned above are brand new, and you may have the option to customize the layout, but the timeline for moving in will be longer. An existing home, barring certain contingencies, should be able to be moved into right away, but repairs or upgrades may be necessary.

If you move to an area where the cost of living is high, the home prices will likely be high as well. If you work in that area, the salaries are often higher, which can help counter the higher home price. On the flip side, in an area where the property taxes are higher, home prices are often lower to counter that extra expense.

If your dream home includes an enclosed or open porch, a deck, a pool, a wine cellar or any other specific feature, you can narrow your search to homes that only include those amenities.

If the aesthetic of uniformity is very pleasing to you, and you like the assurance of knowing the exterior of the homes or condos around you will be maintained at a certain quality level, then the extra monthly expense of an HOA or condo association is the right call for you. If you want to do your own thing and not have to conform to someone else’s aesthetic, then HOAs and condo associations should be avoided.

Whether you have children or not, living in a safe neighborhood is usually an important factor in the home buying search. Luckily, there are some handy apps and websites that will show you the crime rates — not just by town or city, but by neighborhood — so you know you’re moving into a safe area.