When you're shopping for a new home, it's a good idea to

create a checklist of what you want and what you need. It

keeps you on track to ultimately find the property that best

fits your requirements - and those of your family.

However, there's a big difference between want and need

that is important to understand when house hunting. A

‘need' refers to a feature that is an absolute must in a new

home. A ‘want', by contrast, is a ‘nice-to-have'.

Some home buyers make the mistake of choosing a ‘want'

at the expense of a ‘need'.

For example, say you ‘need' four bedrooms in your new

home but ‘want' a golf course located nearby. It can be

tempting to fall in love with a property that has a beautiful

golf green just a couple of blocks away, even if it has only

three bedrooms. You may find yourself signing the offer

while dreaming of Saturday morning tee-offs, only to

awake to the realization months later that the lack of an

extra bedroom has become a serious inconvenience to you

and your family.

Of course it is possible to get most, if not all, of what you

need and want in a new home. Especially if you work with

a good REALTOR®. But if it comes down to a choice, it's

usually a good idea not to sacrifice something you really

need in order to get something you want.

So when you're making your house hunting checklist, be

clear about what is a need-to-have and what is a

nice-to-have.

Don't forget that some features you want - like a wraparound

backyard deck, for example - can potentially be

added to your new home later.

Want more tips for getting what you need and want in a

new home? Call Hilary today 519-969-2792