• What can you afford, and what is out of your budget?
Budget usually constrains us the most when selecting a home. While some things are necessary for any home (as mentioned, a good roof and working appliances), others will stay on the list of desires for now (like the sauna).
MAKE A LIST; CHECK IT T ; CHECK IT TWICE
You may have an impression of what you want in your new home. Putting that on paper and having a complete checklist can be helpful. Before starting your hunt for a new home, it’s advisable to list all your basic needs and desires, then prioritize the desires, figuring that all needs must be met in any house under consideration. This will make the search easier and help weed out the ones that don’t meet the basics. Realize, however, that it’s nearly impossible to find a home that meets all requirements. Compromises will be necessary. It’s a good idea to work from outside-the-house factors to inside- the-house. For example, location is perhaps the primary concern, and both “needs” and “desires” factors might be involved. A “need” would be “must be within 25 kilometers of work.” A desire might be, “would like stanley Park” (a favored neighborhood), while a need might be “on the west side of the city” (because work, family, friends, and recreation activities are all located there). Location needs may include proximity to schools, frequently used recreation facilities, or mode of transportation (bus or suburban rail access). Whether an item is a need or a desire depends on the circumstances. Closeness to family might be a need for a couple with young 24
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