It almost goes without saying that you want to buy the right house, but just how do you make sure you do that? Beyond the location and a house within your budget, buying the right house has a lot to do with your needs and wants in a home. But this is where it gets tricky because emotion kicks in, and it becomes difficult to separate what’s truly important to you from what you simply would like to have. Read on to discover how to separate the things you want from the things you need when buying a house in Kauai.
Understanding Needs and Wants
The first step toward separating the things you want from the things you need when buying a house in Kauai involves an understanding of them and how they apply to choosing the right house.
Needs are typically non-negotiable and are often deal breakers. For example, maybe you absolutely must have a single-family home and not a condo. Or maybe you’ve decided that you need to live in a specific community and nowhere else. Such things are the essentials that you need.
Wants, on the other hand, are optional. These include such things as a desire to have new appliances or you’re wanting an extra room to make into a game room. Though some wants will be more important to you than others, they remain negotiable and not as necessary as solid needs.
Separating needs from wants when buying a house offers these benefits . . .
- Time saved because you’ll know exactly what you’re looking for
- Emotions set aside to a greater degree
- Ability to make better decisions when your budget collides with reality
- Opportunity for your agent to provide better and more efficient assistance
The Process of Separating Wants From Needs
When it comes to actually separating wants from needs when buying a house in Kauai, here’s how you can proceed . . .
Envision the Ideal Home
Start by envisioning your ideal home. This will be the home that has everything you both want and need.
Get Pre-approved
Make sure you get pre-approved for a mortgage so that you can envision an ideal home that falls within your realistic budget. Pre-approval will let you know what features in your ideal home you can actually afford. You will also want to work closely with your Kauai agent at this stage. Your agent will know how much homes in your selected area are going for and how much particular features will add to the price. (To consult an experienced agent, you can call 808-634-4518.
Work Backward
After getting pre-approved and painting a picture of your ideal home, then work backward from that point. Consider what features in the ideal home are must-haves and which ones you do without. This will allow you to begin separating the things you want from the things you need when buying a house in Kauai.
Consider Value Items
Value items are features that add value to a property for future buyers. When distinguishing wants from needs, you should give value items more weight than things you want but add little value.
Create Checklist
After completing the preceding steps, it’s a good idea to create a checklist of wants and needs to expedite the process of buying a house. A well-thought-out checklist will help you determine what you can expect to get in a home within your budget, and it will allow your agent to find homes that meet your wants/needs and are also within your budget.
Lean on Your Kauai Agent’s Expertise
Keep in mind that the perfect home doesn’t exist. But if you know what you need in a home and what you merely would like to have, you can make informed compromises and avoid making decisions purely driven by emotion.
And you should also lean on your agent’s expertise and listen to her advice and recommendations. A good agent can help you get what you need and as much of what you want as possible. So if you’re considering buying a house in Kauai, be sure to contact us at 808-634-4518.