For many people, this year has brought an awareness of our homes that we never thought possible. Shifting to a more flexible, work-from-home lifestyle over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic may have brought up a few things you would like to change around your house or made you want to move to a new home all together. 

 

As so many homebuyers are having similar ideas with much more time spent at home, supply barriers are at an all time high. Renovations? Material prices are high and supply is low. Do you want to buy a new home? Home prices are skyrocketing and supply is low. Do you see the trend? 

 

Maybe for you, as much as buying a new home would be your first option, it is not attainable this year. You are not alone and this does not mean that you cannot continue working towards your goal of finding a new home to suit your needs better! You can use this time to reevaluate your needs and wants for a home so when the time comes, your criteria for your new home search will already be in place and you can hit the ground running.

 

Here are some of the factors that you should consider when creating the criteria for your home search:

 

Likes | Dislikes

What is working for you? What is absolutely not working for you? Going through these questions with your household can help mold which direction you go. Identifying your favorite and least favorite quality of your current home can be a good idea. Do you like the overall style of your home or would you prefer to be in a different era? This is a good place to start.

 

Space

Do you currently have too much space or not enough? Is it a priority for you to have more bedrooms or an option for an office area? Have you spent this last year at home and never entered some of your rooms? Analyzing the use of your current space is essential to building your search criteria for your new home.

 

Functionality

Is your current space functioning how it needs to for you to live your life? Do the nooks and crannies of your home make sense to you or do you feel you have wasted space? Are there too many levels or not enough? Do you like the way your kitchen is designed and laid out? Functionality is extremely important. This past year, you may have noticed functionality concerns that you never would have before! Write these down.

 

Outdoor Space 

Is your outdoor space too limited or too high maintenance? Do you want more or less of it? Is your garage the size you need it to be? Do you want it to be attached versus detached? Do you enjoy spending time outdoors? Do you want a fence for your dog? Your outdoor space may have become somewhere you spend your lunch breaks or evenings. Evaluate where you are now and dream of what would suit your household better.

 

Location 

How far do you have to travel for your necessities? Does it align with how far you are willing to travel for those needs? Do you want more or less involvement with your neighborhood? Can you get to your favorite places reasonably? Ultimately, are you living where you want to be? If not, start driving around and analyzing other areas to identify which neighborhoods may be a better fit for your household.

 

Dreams Matter | Be Ready

It can be challenging to push dreams out a year or two because of timing. We understand that. One part that makes it more manageable is knowing that you are not pushing them away forever. Making progress and crafting a criteria for your new home search can be a fulfilling and productive way to spend your time waiting for your dreams of owning your next home to become a reality!

 

Sources: 

https://www.zillow.com/resources/stay-informed/2020/05/29/new-home-wishlist/

https://www.frameworkhomeownership.org/blog/the-needs-vs-wants-checklist