Tall ceilings, elegant archways, and light and airy family rooms. You're not just picturing your new home — you're envisioning your new life. The home you choose will be the stage for thousands of your life's best memories and become the source of small, everyday joys in your day-to-day.
Will you have a garden for growing fresh produce? Are you dreaming of being a short walk from the lively downtown? Do you imagine space for new family members and get-togethers?
When you're looking for a new home, there's a lot to consider about how you want to live. Whether you're looking to call a sprawling ranch house, historical Victorian, or California bungalow-style craftsman your home, here are three tips for finding your dream house:
1. Use a Realtor-Matching Service
Free Realtor-matching services can partner you with a highly-rated, top real estate agent in your neighborhood to help you find your new home. Finding an experienced Realtor — one who's deeply familiar with desired neighborhoods in, say, Scottsdale or Denver and has a proven history of successful negotiating — can make the difference between the amount you pay for a house, whether you land the home of your dreams, or settle for something "good enough."
The rental properties in Memphis, TN often come with a number of rental properties within the same neighborhood, so finding an agent will help you to narrow down your choices. These agents will also be able to provide you with insider knowledge about the local market and guide you in making informed decisions.
The best real estate agents can be hard to find among the hundreds out there. But using a free realtor-matching service can help you narrow down and find vetted, trusted, and experienced real estate professionals who know the market inside and out. Bottom line: Finding the right Realtor is key if you're looking for the perfect luxury home.
2. Define Your Taste
It's easy to look through magazines or websites featuring stylish rooms, furniture, and homes you like. However, it becomes more difficult to narrow it all down. As you browse, try to imagine yourself living in that room or home. It may be beautiful, but does it reflect you — the day-to-day life you live, the energy you want to surround yourself with, the practicality to accomplish the things you do? Do your browsing and collecting. Collect everything you like. But then add a third step: re-evaluate.
Start to analyze what you're drawn to. Is there a common theme? What textures, colors, and architectural elements do you find most appealing? Not everything you collect will have these elements, but identifying the elements that resurface again and again in your favorite pictures will help you discover your true taste. Pinterest is a perfect place to start exploring styles, and the tool makes it easy to sort and explore as you go.
3. Find Your Neighborhood
You may have your picture-perfect home dreamed up right down to the last detail. But there's more to choosing a home than the home itself. As they say in real estate, when it comes to value, it's all about "location, location, location!" From area crime statistics to the local schools, the neighborhood of your new home can be just as important as its walls.
There are plenty of resources for researching potential neighborhoods. From large-scale rankings to resident reviews, knowledge is power when it comes to picking out the location of your new home (and new life).
Dream Home, Dream Life
Buying a home is an exciting experience. From home tours to remodeling and decorating, it might feel like you're redesigning your whole life. It's a big process, and it can be stressful. But with the right resources, talent, and planning, it doesn't have to be.
