Thinking of buying a home in South Carolina? The more organized you are as a buyer, the more smoothly house hunting might go. You’d be surprised how many people know they want to buy a house, but, if you ask them specific questions about their wants and needs, they can’t provide detailed answers. Before you connect with a real estate agent or begin touring homes, it’s important to separate buyer issues into three categories: Your non-negotiables (must-haves), would-like-to-haves and spare-no-cost dreams.
Non-negotiables are absolute must-haves. For example, if you and your partner are expecting your first child, you might want to focus on your home search on houses with two or more bedrooms. If you work from home, you might require a spare room for office space. Whatever specific features or needs you have, list them under the non-negotiable category.
Would-like-to-haves are not necessities when buying a home
Perhaps you were hoping to have a swimming pool at your new home, either an above ground or in-ground pool. Since it’s not necessary, you can list this idea under the would-like-to-have category. Maybe you’re hoping for enough space to plant a garden or want a house that’s within driving distance from schools or local parks. Whatever it is that you think “would be nice” without being 100% necessary goes into the would-like-to-have column.
What are your spare-no-cost dreams?
Describe your dream house. Even if you know it’s out of your price range or unlikely to become a reality at this time, it’s okay to go ahead and list the spare-no-cost features you’d love to have if you could buy your dream house. You never know, you might be able to make some, if not all of it, happen.
When you list your necessities, would-like-to-haves and spare-no-cost dream features, it gives your real estate agent a clear idea of what you’re looking for in a home. This enables an agent to streamline your home search, focusing on scheduling showings at houses that fit your needs but also include some of your wants.
You can make a similar list if you’re a seller
If you’re on the selling end of a deal, you can still separate wants and needs into two categories. For example, if you need to stay in your house for 30 days, you can list that as a non-negotiable. If you’d like to have offers without contingencies, you can include that on your would-like-to-have list.
And what about a spare-no-cost big dream list for a seller? Consider this list space the place to put your top-selling dreams. Maybe your dream offer would be a cash deal or a buyer who’s ready to go straight to closing. Whether you’re buying or selling, separating needs, wants and dreams ahead of time can help you initiate a pleasant transaction for all.