Step 1: Prioritize & Plan...
LIFESTYLE
Identifying the lifestyle first
will make the
tough decisions later
happen easier.
A. The Lifestyle you want
Are you planning for another child? Are you transitioning to an empty nest? Do you anticipate a parent benefiting from living with you?
Do you enjoy tennis or golf? Do your children or grandchildren enjoy swimming or time at the playground? Do you prefer your house to be known as the place for the neighborhood kids to hangout? Is there a school you want to live close to?
Deciding on the lifestyle you want provides wise guidance when choosing a community, a builder, and a floor plan that is best for you.
It has been said that "we shape our homes and then our homes shape us".
Your home is (or should be) the beauty you wake up to each day.
Whether your home has generous open-spaces, well-defined living areas or a sense of discovery, beauty does not happen by chance.
Decisions about which direction windows face, the height of the ceiling, the texture of the floor, and the dimensions of a room have as much to do with beauty as what you hang on the wall or set on a table.
B. The Beauty you desire
BEAUTY
There is a difference between beauty as an "add-on" and beauty that is planned from the beginning.
FUNCTION
Functionality done right is an extension of beauty.
Planning functionality can be the difference between the house serving you or you being a servant of the house.
C. The Functionality You Need
- Pets in need of tough floors or musical instruments in need of soft coverings?
- Working from home in need of office space or home entertainment in need of a theater room?
- Children in need of play space or teenagers in need of parking space?
- Large families in need of food storage or a large yard in need of storage for the riding mower?
No two households are alike and the necessary functions of the home can vary as much.
Mapping out and prioritizing needed functionality can ensure your long-term satisfaction with the new home.
INVESTMENT
No other investment comes as close as being part of the family. The decision must be financial, but the pay off is comfort, joy and love.
D. The Investment that is Right
Have you ever been house poor? You can afford the house, but nothing else. If you are a homebody, this may suit you best.
Each variable of down payment, interest rate, points, length of loan, and how long you intend to keep the home can be used to optimize the investment that is right for you and your financial plan.
