Connecting with a Lifestyle

Obvious criteria in selecting a home usually include number of bedrooms, baths, size and location. However, often I see clients buy the exact opposite of what they initially said they were looking for. Deciding on the right home is more than fulfilling a list of criteria, it is equally a lifestyle choice, the beginning of the next chapter of your life and a significant financial decision.

Real estate websites provide statistics and details of houses but can’t tell you how you will live in the house and how the community will fit into your daily routine. You can look at ten houses all with similar floorplans and appointments, but you will connect to one far greater than any other because your connection is about more than the house, it is about seeing yourself living there.

When you start your list of conditions for your next house, give consideration to how you want to live in it and how you see yourself interacting with the surroundings. Think about how you see yourself spending time there. If you start with the lifestyle piece first your home search will be far more productive and exciting. Basic features like number of bedrooms and bathrooms must meet your needs but how you envision living in your new house is what makes it a home.

I have been told “we don’t find a home, it finds us” so be open and let your next home find you.