Looking for a New Home? Create a Wish List

In the search for your new home, you’ll probably see a ton of places you like, probably even a few you love. Especially here in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida, new homes are popping up left and right, so the options are exploding for new buyers. On the one hand, that’s great because this allows buyers to find exactly what they want. On the other hand, too many options can be paralyzing.

That’s why it’s essential to create a home wish list, categorizing what constitutes a ‘home must-have,’ a ‘that feature would nice,’ and a ‘no way, dealbreaker, I don’t want it.’  It all starts with knowing what you like. Below, we’ve created a set of questions for you to ask yourself. These questions should give you all the information you need to jumpstart your home wish list.

30 Questions to Ask Before You Get Started

Your Current Home

This all starts with examining the status quo. What about your current home do you like, and what do you not like? Let’s break that down a little bit.

1. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your current home? (This gives you the space to look at your current home objectively. If you use the same scale on new homes you visit, you should be able to make more accurate comparisons.)
2. What do you like most about your home? (This can be anything: how it makes you feel, the community you live in, the size of your backyard, the reading nook in the kitchen, the storage space. List all of those things. This should give you an idea of what’s actually important to you.)
3. What do you like least about your home? (Same parameters as above. This will help you determine your dealbreakers, which can be just as important as your home must-haves.)
4. How do you feel about the style of your home? (Understanding architectural style and décor trends can come in handy with this assessment.)
5. Where in your current home do you spend the most time? (For instance, if you spend the most time in your kitchen, then it might be a priority for you to get a kitchen with more space and accessories. If you spend more time outside in the garden or in the living room hanging out, then those areas might need some extra attention.)
6. What’s your favorite room/place to be in your current home? (This might be different from the above. Just because you spend the most time in a room doesn’t mean it’s necessarily your favorite.)

The Inside of Your New Home

This is a critical area to think about when buying a new home. You need to understand the ins and outs of what makes a home special. That’s something that only you can define. What’s important to you?

1. How much space do you want? (Try to break this down to square feet. Also, try to determine how you want that space broken up. Do you want a big living area, but you’re okay with smaller bedrooms? Do you want walk-in closets or a huge kitchen? Really take the time to break this down.)
2. How many bedrooms do you need? (Include specialized rooms, like home offices, workout areas, sunrooms, mudrooms, etc.)
3. How many bathrooms do you need?
4. Do you want a single-story or multi-story home?
5. How many windows and how much natural lighting do you want in your new home?
6. Are there any home features and fixtures that are home must-haves? (Think about a dishwasher, an HVAC system, a kitchen island, hardwood floors, etc.)

The Front of the House

We’re talking about curb appeal here. This area can be neglected when people think about their new home, so here are a few things to ask yourself about the front of your house.

1. Do you have any ideal front porch specifications (wraparound, enclosed, small, big, etc.)?
2. Do you need enough room to plant a garden? If so, how much space do you want for your garden area?
3. How large do you want the front lawn to be? Are you someone who likes to take care of your yard, or is that a burden?
4. Do you need a garage? If so, what size?
5. Do you need a driveway? If so, what size?
6. How do you want the front of your home to look? (Remember: you can make cosmetic changes to your home, like painting, blinds, finishes, etc. It’s much harder to change the structure entirely.)

The Backyard

A functional and recreational backyard has risen in popularity over the last year. This has a lot to do with COVID-19. Many people have been forced to stay at home, which has caused a shift in where they spend their time. People need somewhere to go, and they need to get out of the house. The backyard has become the perfect place for that.

1. How large does your backyard need to be?
2. How do you want your back porch to look? Do you even need a back porch?
3. Are there certain fixtures you’d like? (This includes a swimming pool, a deck, a work shed, a storage area, a second living space, a garden, etc.)
4. Are you bringing anything with you, like a trampoline or jungle gym? How much space do you need for those items?

The Community

This one is crucial when you’re talking about your dream home. It’s also something that a lot of people miss. A community can make or break a home, so give this area a lot of consideration. How would you like the neighborhood and community to be? Here are some follow-up questions to help answer that:

1. Do you want there to plenty of sidewalks for walking and riding bikes? 
2. Do you want there to be plenty of driving space (some streets are significantly reduced because of curbside parking)? 
3. Is it important for there to be community activities for you and your family to join? 
4. Would you like your community to be active? Is that important to you?
5. What about the schools? Do you have school-age children? If so, you’ll want to learn about the school district. 
6. Do you need to live near a doctor’s office or a grocery store?
7. Do you want to be close to a body of water? (This can be a vital must-have for real estate in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida.)
8. How much are you willing to commute for work? 

How to Create Your New Home Wish List

These are just a few suggestions (things to think about) to help you determine what you want from your new home. Once you’ve given this some thought, break it into groups, depending on how important it is to you. You should create your list with needs, wants, and dealbreakers. Don’t fret about everything else because you’ve done the work to understand what it is you truly want. 

Once you’re ready to search for your new home in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, reach out to the Welch Team. Whether you’d like a home with a view in Jacksonville or just a new place with all the amenities you can dream of, we’d love to help you find a home that checks off every item on your new home wish list.