I like to think big. Big house, big car, big glass of wine on the patio. When it comes to specific rooms in my big house, it’s no different. I like a little elbow room. However, elbow room is more important in some areas than others. I don’t like space just for the sake of space. I like functional space where I need it, but I don’t want to pay for space where I won’t use it.
Let me give an example, my family doesn’t do a lot of formal dining, so a formal dining space is not important to me. It would be square footage that I heat and cool, but don’t use. For my family, a generous size breakfast area and a bar counter with plenty of stools is the perfect set up.
There are other spaces in a home that are very important to me.
A Few of My Home Preferences
Laundry Rooms—Why are most laundry rooms so small? I spend many hours in this room. I need space to store laundry supplies, pile dirty clothes, and fold and hang clean clothes. No, I don’t want a hanging rod over the washer and dryer. I want the rod in a place that does not impede the use of the washer and dryer. Give me some organization space and make it attractive. Because, as I said in the beginning, I spend a lot of time in this room, so please make it pleasant. Please give me a BIG laundry room!
Garage Space—Why is it called a two-car garage if you can’t park two cars in it? If this room is wall to wall cars, and I mean WALL to WALL, why is it called a two-car garage? We enjoy parking in the garage, but being able to get in and out of the car is essential for me. Parking in the garage keeps me out of the rain, heat and cold, and that makes this Mama very happy. Please give me a BIG garage!
Showers–I have an amazing master bathroom. It is very spacious with a double vanity and nice garden tub. In fact, I think my husband and I can tango in the bathroom it’s so large. But why do I have a shower that is so small I can barely turn around? How am I supposed to shave my legs? Please give me a BIG shower!
What is Important for Your Family?
The first steps for buying a home is to chose a Realtor® and speak to your lender. A great Realtor® will be able to recommend a great lender and a great lender will help you get preapproved so you know how much money you can spend on your new home.
Once you have your budget in place, watch how your family functions day to day. Pay attention to the areas that are used least and take note of areas that have bottle necks. Identifying these areas will give you insights on what is needed to help your family function at its peak.
Make a list of your discoveries and any other desires and needs for your future home. There are some great questionnaires that can help you prioritize and organize your thoughts. Once I’ve gone through the process of observing my family and answering a few questions, I prefer using a system of ranking the items from one to five. One being a non-negotiable item and five being an item I would like, but not a deal breaker.
After my family completed the questionnaire and ranked the answers, the garage space is ranked a one and would be a deal breaker if it is too cramped. However, the laundry room is ranked three, meaning if the laundry room is okay and the rest of the home is perfect, we could compromise.
Once you have your home desires identified and prioritized, set up a meeting with your Realtor®. Bring your family’s ranked list and preapproval with you and totally impress your Realtor®! Armed with this information your Realtor® can find homes which more closely match your priorities. This can save you time and effort finding the perfect home with just the right space.
Are you looking for the perfect next home? Check out the links below, give me a call, and get the perfect fit.
Fran
Fran Morgan is Realtor with Carter Fine Homes-Keller Williams Heritage. Fran has a passion for helping new and experienced home buyers find their perfect home. She is an empty-nester mom and lives with her husband Mel in San Antonio.