11 Ways to Know You’ve Found the Right Home When House Hunting

You’ve found the house of your dreams…or at least, you think you have. Buying a house is a big purchase, so it seems fairly normal to want to second guess your decision. Yet, in today’s market when houses are staying on the market 30 days or less, sitting on a decision to put in an offer can genuinely mean losing out on the home you love. 

Luckily, there are key indicators that can tell you whether or not you’re making the right decision on your home purchase. By following these steps, you will know when you’ve found the right home and what questions to ask. Knowing when you’ve found the right home isn’t purely emotional, it’s also factual and can even be strategic. 

Here are 11 ways to know you’ve found the right home when house hunting. 

You’re drawn to the showing pictures

When a listing has beautiful and adequate pictures, it’s not only aesthetically pleasing, it tells you a lot about the space of the home. You can see the layout, the design, and features like a fireplace and more. Plus, notice when there’s something about the home that makes you want to take time out of your busy schedule to see that specific property above all others.

When evaluating the photos of a home, take a look at whether you like the home both aesthetically and from a functional perspective. If you’re drawn to the home based on those two features, you’re heading in the right direction towards picking the right house.

The home is in an area you like

No matter how much you like a home, a nice home in an area you’re not happy with is not a fit. If your everyday lifestyle means you want a home that’s close to a grocery store or close to the freeway in order to reduce your commute, it’s important to make sure your home is in an area you desire.

If the home you’re eyeing fits these criteria, you’re one step closer to determining whether this home is a fit for you.

It’s convenient with your everyday life 

No matter how tempting it may be, I would not suggest buying a home that’s too far from where you work. Buying a home an hour away from work may not be practical. You can only commute and work 40 hours for so long before something suffers, whether it’s family time or getting burnt out.  

Ideally, your home will be close to both work and school if you have kids or other extracurricular activities. 

Focus on choosing a home in a location that feels relaxing and inviting to you. It’s also important that your home fits your everyday life. Being close to your family, friends, or extracurricular activities are all important factors to consider.

The home fits your requirements

If you’re searching for 3 bedrooms and it only has 2, it might not be a fit. Falling in love with a home you love aesthetically but that doesn’t fit your needs can lead to buyer’s remorse.

Based on your budget, determine your home requirements before starting your home search. Talk to your agent about what’s required in your next home versus what’s just nice to have. Then, don’t waver from the minimum requirements you agreed upon.

Buying the house doesn’t take all of your savings

Even when it comes to buying a home, you’ll want to have money in reserves. Many financial experts are against putting all of your savings into buying a home. In order to make sure you don’t have any financial surprises in the near future, make sure you’re thoroughly checking the Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning system (HVAC). When inspecting the HVAC, don’t forget to test the air conditioning in the winter (even if it’s cold), and the heat in the summer. That way, when the seasons change, you won’t be hit with any financial surprises. 

Have a thorough inspection of the roofing, plumbing and electric. Replacing these items can come at a rather high ticket cost. Even if each of these items check out, you should also ask if you’ll need to replace these items any time in the near future. This allows you to proactively factor in any costs that may be associated with repairs.

The home fits within your monthly budget

Many financial experts agree that your total housing cost should not account for more than 30% of your take-home pay. Your total monthly budget (including items other than your mortgage payment) should be taken into account. You don’t want to end up over-leveraged on a home. 

Run an estimate on the cost associated with your monthly mortgage payment, utilities, HOA’s, and insurance. Also, ask your agent about any other atypical costs that may be associated with owning a home in that area. 

You’re excited to tour the home

The home buying process is generally fun, but after you’ve seen quite a few houses, constantly touring homes can be daunting to the average home buyer. To know the home may be the right house, ask yourself how you are feeling when you pull up? Are you ready to hop out of the car and run into the house? Are you excited about the inside of the house? 

Most importantly, after you tour the home, are you wanting to linger around a little bit. If the home feels like somewhere you want to stay awhile, that’s a good sign. 

You’re able to picture yourself in the house

Pay attention to how you react when inside the home. If you are starting to picture furniture arrangement…

If you’re thinking about how you want to paint a wall a different color to match your bedding or other furniture. ..

Or if you’re thinking about how you’ll set up the bedroom for your children, it may be the house for you.

When you’re thinking about furniture arrangements, home decor and more, that’s always a good sign you’ve found a home for you. 

You’re possessive over the house

After touring the home, do you see yourself missing out on the house if you lose to another home buyer? Are you and your children already claiming rooms? Are you already calling the house yours? Be cognizant of your reaction after (and during) the tour of the home. If you’re starting to see yourself already living in the home, it’s a great indicator that the home might be a good fit for you. 

You’re ready to tell family and friends about the wonderful house you found

Finding a home is an exciting time. Yet, pay special attention to whether or not you find yourself talking about the home with family, friends and even coworkers. Are you always wanting to talk about the home with others? Many home buyers who are excited about the idea of living in a home may want to share the excitement by showing everyone close to them pictures from the web, even if the home’s not theirs yet.

The home fits your future

Buying a home is more than thinking about the near future. If you can see your family growing with the home, it may be a great fit for you. Although most students prefer to go off to college, many college-age young adults are opting to stay at home to reduce their housing costs. Also, make sure to think about your parents needs as well. Many baby boomers are finding that they need a home that accommodates their children and their aging parents. So, the home may be a great fit if you think it meets the criteria that will accommodate your future.

The home has multiple exit strategies

It’s also important to consider your home from a tactical standpoint. Will you be able to rent the home if you need to? Or perhaps you may want to rent out the rooms? Also, consider if you may want to make the home a vacation rental. Either way, you’ll want to have multiple exit strategies. Many individuals don’t want to think about what could happen if a contributing member of the household loses their job or more. However, keeping this in mind before purchasing your home will lead to more peace of mind when saying yes to the home of your dreams. 

If you’re in the Placer County area and you’d like to talk with an expert about how to find the right home for you, Contact Us today.

Our team of agents has years of experience helping people like you find a home you love.