Finding a house can be a tricky pursuit depending on who you are. We all have different tastes, preferences, and needs, making the process of finding a living space an intimidating one. After all, how do you know you’re picking the right house?
The question of picking the right place to live becomes even more intimidating if you’ve never owned a home before. We’re all familiar with the mistakes that you can make, but how do you know when things feel right? What do you look for? How do you prioritize certain elements over others? In this post, we’re going to be taking a closer look at what it means to look for a living space to help you know when a place is right for you.
Here are our Top 5 Tips:
- Does it Have What You Need?
The first thing you should be considering when looking at buildings is whether or not it has everything you need. This might seem like an obvious thing to ask yourself, but it is very important. In fact, many people either overestimate or underestimate what they need, leading them to feel some serious remorse once they’ve already signed a contract.
An important aspect of knowing what you need is to factor in change. For example, you might be in your early 30s with a partner and you’re just looking for a space to have for the two of you. However, if you ever decide to settle down and have a child or get a pet, you’ll need to make sure that there is enough room for a big life change. At the same time, it doesn’t even have to be that dramatic—you might just want to have an extra room for an exercise lounge!
- Is There Room to Grow?
The last thing you want is to have a house that doesn’t have much space surrounding it—you don’t want to feel squeezed into your own living space! Making sure that the places you’re looking at have enough space for expansion later on down the road is essential.
- Do You Like the Location?
This is something that many people overlook when looking for a new place. However, enjoying the neighborhood in which you live is integral to having a place you actually enjoy living in. Have you tried meeting the neighbors? Does it seem like a neighborhood whose noise levels match with your personal preferences? Are there supermarkets nearby? What about cultural events? Since you’ll likely be living in the neighborhood for a long time, it’s important to do your research.
- What Type of Floor Plan Does It Have?
It’s important to pay attention to the specific floor plans in place for rooms if you want to grasp fully what the design is capable of.
Here are the two main types of floor plans that you will come across:
Open Floor Plans: These are floor plans typically designated for spaces such as kitchens and living rooms. They typically involve furniture being placed in a large open space as opposed to dividing up a room.
Divided Floor Plans: These floor plans are what you would call houses with a lot of individual rooms. Each room has its own space with little flexibility to change the purpose of the floor (i.e. multiple bedrooms and bathrooms with a small hallway).
Whether or not a floor plan is effective comes down to your personal preference, so this is something you should be considering the second you step into a room. For example, if you decide to host a party in your living room, is there enough room to adequately make a space?
- Are You Staying True to Yourself?
Though it might seem like a cliché thing to put as our #1 tip, it’s incredibly important to make sure you’re staying true to yourself. In looking at so many different housing options it becomes easy to get lost in different possibilities, not remembering what you would instinctually do. Trying new things is essential for keeping an open-minded personality, but stray too far from your comfort zone and you might not feel welcomed in your own home.
Are you looking for a home of your own? What do you think of our tips? Are there any you’re looking forward to thinking about when you begin your search? Let us know what you think! If you’re interested in more tips, click here!
Dhruval Patel 
Paula