Homes are reflections of who we are. The mortgage lender might think of your home in relation to some demographic medium but as a household that dwells within its walls, you are unique.
As an individual, you can think of a home as an entity that nurtures a fulfilling and creative lifestyle. It gives you the space to be who you are. It holds your past in a kind of joint memory it shares with you. Your life experiences are absorbed in what you put on the walls, how you arrange your furniture and how you use the space. It projects you into the future where you envision changes you can make, whether cosmetic and psychological such as paint or new floorcoverings or structural (or behavioral) as adding a room such as a home office.

Or you can feel a home as an obstacle. That hinders your enjoyment of life. That constantly has to be kept clean to keep up its appearance. A home whose mortgage is a burden that kepts you working in a job that is not fulfilling. A home that does not give you the space you really need to do the things that give joy and a sense of fulfillment. On whose walls hang reminders of obligations weighing down a past that projects little hope of freely moving into the future

Or you can minimize or ignore the need for a home and wander through your life momentarily centered in a moving car, in changing relationships, in the urge to travel to new places. Seeking shelter in the diversions society offers. More centered in the psychological shelters of habits, denials and addiction than the space, responsibility and continuity of a physical home.

When presented this way no one would chose the last two options. But yet there does seem to be forces that make it difficult for us to find and create for ourselves a home that is like a friend to us. Forces that steer us away from our unique needs and tempt and coerce us to accept, even ask for a home that is not what we really need. The media projects images about what we should want. Financial institution regulates uniformity in the way they lend money. …. These might be necessary when we look at the big picture. It provides an obstacle for the home buyer to be aware of . Above all it should encourage you to think you yourself.

Your dream house would be in the best neighborhood or on a acreage surrounded by magnificent scenery. It would be made with materials you see in the best homes, installed using fine craftsmanship. It would contain all the spaces you would need to do and be everything you want to do. Your dream house would also be able to be purchased at a price where the mortgage you would pay would not restrict your lifestyle and would add to your feeling of financial security.

Unless money is not an object, this scenario certainly is a dream. Few of us can buy our ideal home without making numerous compromises. The areas where these compromises are made can be divided into four dimensions: location, size, quality and cost. Before you get serious about buying it would be helpful to consider these different aspects of a home.

Location, Location, Location- As an individual or as a family, where your house is located becomes your interface with society and affects how you think of yourself. Your interests and your values are reflected in the neighborhood where you choose to live. How important is it to live in a neighborhood of higher priced homes? How important is architectural style, trees, a quiet neighborhood, a view? Do you think of yourself as urban? How important is a feeling of community? Is it important to take walks in a country like setting? Do you need to be close to stores and gathering places? No other factor effects the price of a house as much as where it is located.
Size- There is a tendency in our culture to want more. Bigger is better. Bigger also costs more. Look at the spaces you need in your home? Can some of the spaces serve multifunctions? Do you really need that formal dining room that is used four times a year? Do you really need four bedrooms if you have only one or two children? Do you really need a three-car garage? If the house does not have all the space you will need, is there the potential of adding space in the future? The bigger the house, the more there is to maintain. How do you feel about maintenance?
Quality - What kind of materials, craftsmanship and amenities do you want in your house? Make a list of what is important to you? What would you put in a new house if you were building one? Older homes sometimes have a certain character that can not be reproduced in newer homes. Is that important to you? When looking at a house compare the quality of the home with the lists you have made. How does it match? What would you have to add? What would you like to change? Take these costs in mind when evaluating the price and suitability of the home.
Cost - A home is the biggest, most important purchase a household will probably make. How important is it for you to think of the purchase in terms of an investment in the future? How long do you plan to live in this house? How much of a mortgage are you prepared to assume? What is your future earning power? How much will the mortgage payment restrict your lifestyle? What sacrifices are you willing to make to get the house you want?
This is a overview of each of the four dimensions. Which dimension is the most important to you? Where will you least be able to compromise? Where do you feel most able to compromise?

Let these feelings evolve as you start to look at houses. It is also helpful to discuss these feelings with whomever is helping find your home. Being aware of the compromises you are making when buying a house will help you make that quick confident decision which you most likely will need to make when you see the house that feels right to you. It will also be an important first step in making that house a home.

You are tired of paying rent and want a home of your own. You need more space. You have a new job or your work has been relocated. You just got married or divorced or are planning a family. Or you are just not happy with the home or the area you live in now. Whatever your motivations for wanting to buy a home, it is one of the most significant decisions you will make in your life and will impact both your financial well being and the quality of your life for years to come.

Each of these reasons requires a different approach to finding a home; different criteria are used. Yet they are all involved in your final decision, even if you might only have an intuitive awareness of them. The final result of these decisions will inevitably be a compromise of quality, size, cost and location - the four dimensions of a home search.

Buying a home is a complex decision that involves gathering information in various areas. You will need to decide on whether a particular neighborhood meets your needs. You will need to evaluate the design of the home. Does it meet your need for physical space? Does it have that overall feeling of home and will it provide the comfort home implies to you? You will need to evaluate the condition of the house and interpret the results of that inspection. You will need to make financial decisions in regard to how much you can afford to pay and how the purchase of a particular home rates as an potential investment.

The typical approach to finding a home is to make a home a commodity that is bought or sold. You go shopping for a home. Some salespersons who do not know you or care about your unique dwelling requirements attempt to persuade you to buy this particular home.

Think for yourself. Do not give in to high pressure sales pitches. Finding a new home can be a stressful time. But it can also be a time of reflection, of redefining who you are and what your goals are.

There are number of things you can do to prepare yourself for your search and the decisions that will be required. Here are a few general ideas of things you can do.

Know what you want in a home. You are an individual. No one is exactly like you. Your home should reflect that uniqueness. Make a wish list of everything you can dream of that your ideal home would be. Then go over the list. Which items would improve the quality of your life the most? Then make a list of what you need in a home. Prioritize these needs.
Know the neighborhood where you where you would like to find a house. Study its history, project what it going to be like in 5 years or 10 years, what kind of houses are in area, what are the schools like? What is the price range of the houses in the area? Is this the kind of neighborhood where you would feel most comfortable and most at home.
Know what your resources are - How much do you have for a down paymen? What kind of mortgage payment can you make? What is your future earning power? How much time do you have to invest in working on projects to improve or maintain a home? How much effort do you what to spend in finding your ideal home?


To help, you can find a buyer's agent with whom you feel comfortable. A good buyer's agent will be a great source of information concerning neighborhoods, the value of the house, and process of buying a home. They also will be someone with whom you can sit and discuss all the aspects of buying a home, someone who will listen attentively to your expressed needs and who has the experience to evaluate the information. A good buyer's agent, without pressuring, will evaluate with you each house and help you decide if the compromises you will have to make (assuming its not the perfect house) are the best for you.

Helping you gather and evaluate that information is a main focus of Lifespace Design. For more detailed information on our real estate service, call , web