For many people, the idea of trying to find the “perfect” home can seem overwhelming. After all, with so many variables in play, finding or even building your ideal home depends on a lot of things going right to allow you to achieve perfection. Fortunately, when it comes to the “perfect” home, you don’t actually have to find or build a truly “perfect” home, just one that is perfect for you. This should greatly reduce the number of factors you have to consider and make your search a lot more manageable. Here are a few tips for turning the home of your dreams into the home of your reality.
A House for All Seasons
Whether you’re looking at a piece of land to build a new home or you’re looking at an existing home, it’s important to ensure that your home will be able to withstand a variety of weather conditions. Unless the sale of the land or home is imminent, it’s important to try to drive by the area during an extreme weather event to see how the land around the home fairs. To be sure, if there are problems, you can always make modifications by bringing in topsoil, sand, or gravel. It’s just important to know you’ll need to make these modifications before you make a purchase.
Let There Be Light
Another important consideration for an existing house or piece of property is how sunlight hits it at various times throughout the day. After all, if you’ve got your heart set on soaking up some afternoon sun but your house is facing the wrong direction, there’s not a whole lot you can do. Drive by the area several times throughout a single day to see the changes in sunlight and see if it matches up with what you need and expect. If not, it doesn’t have to be a deal breaker but again, it’s good to know before you make a commitment.
Get Me out of Here
Have you ever seen someone trying to pull or back out of their driveway that intersects with a busy road? Unless you want that someone to be you, too, it’s important to find a home that intersects a residential street that will be easier to get on to. This arrangement is nearly impossible to change, and you’ll likely be coming to and going from your house several times a day, so make sure you’re comfortable with the way it is.
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Another great time to spend a few minutes at a prospective property is in the evening and early nighttime hours. After all, it would be a lousy housewarming gift to learn that there’s a yappy dog that lives just behind you that only barks right when you’re trying to go to sleep. Listen for noises from major highways, airports, factories, and any other noise that might keep you up at night. Of course, you can always attempt to utilize a white noise machine for your sleep; still, there’s nothing like the solitude of enjoying a silent night.
Your “Perfect”
As mentioned earlier, your perfect house only has to be perfect for you. It doesn’t have to be perfect for your neighbor or your friends or for a magazine. If you find something you like and it meets your needs, it’s time to call your realtor. Meeting your expectations will keep you the happiest for the longest.