How to organize your wants and needs when buying a house

When buying a home, we often have a lot of ideas about the features of the dream home. A beautiful garden, a lovely view, plenty of space for a walk-in closet... However, depending on your possibilities, some features simply can't fit into a realistic image. To make the best of the situation and have the home you want, you need to classify ideas into "wants" and "needs" sections. That may not be easy at times. So, we will show you how to organize your wants and needs when buying a house.

What is the difference between needs and wants?
Firstly, we need to clarify the difference between these two things. Needs refer to the things that are essential to you. For example, you need more rooms in the house if you have a large family. Or, if you're working from home, you need an office space somewhere in your home.

As for the domain of desires – this is the list of the most various things you want that are not essential, but you would possibly pay a little more for it. It's the category that most of the features of your dream home fall into.

Take a look at what you have today
If you want to make the best decision for the future, you need to take a step back and look at what you have now. Start by listing the good and bad features of the place you now call home. For example, if you despise your existing home due to its inconvenient layout, you may rethink buying another one with the same flaw. This kind of thing has a profound effect on your daily life. Thus, make sure to consider them first.

Also, part of that is taking into account all your assets. Will there be enough room for everything in your new place? Will you need a larger place than you expected, or will you be able to solve this problem with storage? Of course, you can always hire professionals and seek expert help for everything, including storage solutions.

Think long-term to organize your wants and needs when buying a house
According to a recent survey, the average buyer of a single-family home stays in the house for about nine years. So, to separate the things you need from the items you want, one of the best ways is to think about your personal goals and where you want to be during this average nine-year period.

Maybe you're just starting out and find yourself moving into a bigger house in a few years. Maybe you're buying a house with young children, and you have to think about their future, school, and everything that comes with it. We need to consider both immediate and distant goals.

Ask yourself – do you have reasonable expectations?
The perfect home probably doesn't exist. Buying a home requires making compromises and trade-offs and doing so as efficiently as possible. It's not bad at all, just the way the real estate world works. You may even find that what you envisioned in the first place as your main desire is not something that would work for you in the long run. A great reality check can be to ask these three questions:

How often do you see this specific feature in the market?
Would you rather have someone give you the amount of money you would spend on it or have that resource in your new home?
Do you just want to show this feature or can't you imagine without it in ten years?

Consider your budget
Often, the budget is what definitely defines the line between wanting and needing something. You may, for example, think that you need the pool on your property (which would be great). But, if your face drops and your monthly shopping budget flashes before your eyes when you see the bill – you'll probably put the pool on the "wishlist".

It's no fun to think about a mortgage, and no doubt it's best to think about all the pool parties, but it's necessary. Wishes are the things you'll have to compromise on at times to fit into the things on your list of needs.

Ask for help from professionals
You may have to sacrifice specific wants to meet your needs. Not sure where to start determining what's affordable and what's not? In this case, your agent will be able to help you. A real estate agent's experience in the local real estate market, including the average sale price of properties and the value of upgrades such as extra bedrooms and swimming pools, is essential.

Final considerations
Buying a house is a beautiful and exciting process. There is a lot at stake on one side and a great future to look forward to on the other. One can easily get caught up in the moment and overwhelmed with all the options. But everything can be much smoother if you know how to organize your wants and needs when buying a house. So, make sure you make your personalized list of all the things that are a must