Buying a home is a major investment, both financial and personal. You’re going to spend a consider amount of time in a house, making memories and living life, you don’t want to do that in a house you’re less than enthused about from the get go. Looking at house after house over the course of a few days or weeks can make your options start to blur together but you do eventually need to make a choice. So, how do you know you found the right house?
You Use Your Imagination
As you tour a house, you start to imagine living your life inside those walls. You can imagine your furniture filling the rooms and hosting your friends and families for parties and holidays.
It Meets Your Criteria
No matter how amazing a house is, if it has even just one item on your deal breaker list it’s not the house for you. Whether your deal breaker is a school district, commute, or something else that isn’t easily fixed, don’t attempt to “live with it” for the sake of a house. You decided on those deal breakers for a reason, stick to them. But if a house meets your basic needs (number of bedrooms/bathrooms, lot size, location, etc.) then this may be the one for you.
You Can Overlook the Flaws
This one is tricky because if you fall in love with a house that needs a complete remodel it may not be the right house for your budget. But if you find a house that has a few flaws that are a relatively easy and inexpensive fix or you can live with them and you can see the house for it’s worth before and after the flaws then it may be your house.
You Can Afford It
Rule number one of house hunting is don’t look at a house you can’t afford. It’s almost a guarantee you’ll end up in love with the house that is way out of your price range and every other house you see just won’t measure up.
Trust Your Gut
Many people say they know within a few minutes of being in a house that it’s the home for them. If your instincts are telling you “this is the one” and nothing stands out to raise a red flag, follow your intuition.
Don’t feel like you should ever settle for a house. A good Realtor will listen to your wants and needs and work with you until you find “the one”.