Making Your Dream Home Wish List Before our home search begins, I need to know as much as possible about the location, features and amenities you desire. To help me serve you, be prepared to tell me if the items are negotiable or non-negotiable. What do you feel you absolutely have to have and what would be really nice but wouldn t be a deal breaker if the home didn t have the item. First, tell me a little about your situation: Who will be living in the home you purchase? Describe your lifestyle. What do you enjoy doing at home? Do you do a lot of entertaining? Inside? Outside? What do you enjoy doing in the evening? On weekends? What is the time frame of your move? Do you have to be in a new home by a certain date? Are you a 1 st time buyer? Are you currently renting and need to wait for a lease to be up? Do you currently have a home to sell before you buy? Can you purchase a new home and then sell your current home? Is your current home in the area or out of state? Are you relocating from outside the state? Location, Location, Location Where you buy not only affects the home's current and future value, but it also affects your lifestyle. I can conduct a more targeted home search if you outline your preferences in neighborhoods and nearby amenities. Here's a checklist of items you should consider: * Urban, suburban or rural? Picture yourself living in your new home. You can probably get the feel of rural in a suburban neighborhood if your lot is large enough, but you won t probably find a deli across the street in a suburban or urban neighborhood if that is important to you. urban suburban rural a particular area Page 1
Name of particular city or town? Subdivision or neighborhood? * Commute time to jobs, other family members, or other frequent trips. Do you have to go to go to the airport often? Need to go downtown or jump on the highway to get to the other side of town frequently? Do you need or want access to public transportation? This can make a big difference in where you decide to buy. Preferences? * School districts. If you are unfamiliar with school districts and you have school age children, I will gladly get you the statistics that you need to make an informed decision about where you should be buying. If you need this kind of information, please describe your situation. * Proximity to restaurants and retail. If you eat out frequently, then you will probably want to have restaurants close or on your way home. * Health care facilities. Do you or someone who will be living with you need to be close to a doctor s office or medical facility? * Parks and recreation. You can get the feel of rural or suburban by living close to a recreation area with walking, running, and bicycling trails. You might want to consider a subdivision that has a community pool or tennis courts included in the home owners association dues, if that is important to you. Do you have preferences? Page 2
* Length of time you plan to live in the home. Although many times unforeseen circumstances change our plans without much notice, I would like to have an idea of how long you plan to live in your new home. Even if you don t have plans to move for years to come, I believe you should consider how your home will hold its value or increase in value over the years. I will help you find your dream home today while also looking at it as an investment for the future. Here are some details to consider: Exterior of the home (check as many as you want on any of these) Type of property: house condominium town home duplex loft investment Age of property: new <10 yrs <25 <50 <100 >100 Preferences in architectural style: Floor plan: ranch raised ranch 2 or more stories split level earth contact Construction: all brick/stone some brick frame stucco vinyl/steel siding Roof construction: composition wood Type of foundation: stone block poured concrete Lot size and/or location: city lot > half acre > acre > 5 acres Landscape preferences: fenced yard for children or pets sprinkler system mature trees Entertainment: deck patio screened porch pool/spa Garage or carport: 1 car 2 car 3 car Outbuildings: tool/gardening shed barn/horse Interior of the home (check as many as you want on any of these) What style do you want the interior of your home to have? formal casual cozy traditional contemporary Page 3
Floor plan: open (ex: living room, dining room and kitchen connected) more walls between living spaces Minimum square feet: Bedrooms: 1 bedroom 2 3 4 5 more than 5 Master: 1 st floor 2 nd floor special needs Other bedrooms: 1 st floor 2 nd floor Bathrooms: 1 bathroom 1.5 2 2.5 3 more than 3 master bedroom must have full bath master must have half bath each bedroom must have bath/shared bath ok that some bedrooms don t have baths Eating areas: eat-in kitchen formal dining kitchen and formal dining Kitchen amenities: dishwasher island breakfast bar Counters: granite counters solid surface laminate ceramic tile Kitchen floor: hardwood ceramic tile vinyl Appliances: gas electric stainless Anything else about the kitchen? Living space: formal living room family room formal and family room great room rec room in basement Flooring preferences in bedrooms and living areas: hardwood carpet combo carpet/hardwood ceramic tile vinyl Laundry: bedroom level 1 st floor 2 nd floor basement Basement: full daylight walkup/walkout finished partially finished wet bar full kitchen separate living space Central air/heat: must have central air gas electric radiant attic fan ceiling fans Fireplace: gas wood burning insert wood stove great room master bedroom Home office: 1 st floor 2 nd floor Other rooms you need or want? Anything else I should know about the interior? Page 4
How much renovation are you be willing to do? Are you looking for a fixer-upper just paint and carpet move-in ready Are you pre-approved for a loan? If so, what type? conventional FHA VA FHA-MHDC Must your home accommodate any special needs? What else can you tell me that would describe your dream home? What are the 5 top things you can t live without? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Ok. One more. Thanks. Now I am ready to go to work for you. Page 5