Which Home is Right For Me?

How Do I Know Which Home is Right For Me? The easy answer is "you'll know it when you walk in," and to a great extent, this is true. You should always keep in mind yourwants and needs, and you should also know what sort of house you are likely to be able to afford. But once these criteria are met, your decision to purchase will likely be based upon a sense of the "rightness" of a property for you and your family. Being able to classify yourself as a type of purchaser can assist you in your home search. Which "Buyer Profile" are you? 

First-Time Home Buyers Obviously, you're looking for your first home. Depending on your family configuration and financial ability, the home's price and architectural style can vary. Typically, first homes provide more of the "needs," and fewer of the "wants," associated with your current purchase criteria. 

Upgraders Typically the next step after the first-time home buyer stage. This type of buyer is experiencing a need to move to a larger residence due to expanding family needs. Or, a larger, more elaborate home, possessing a quality, or locational attraction may be the motivating factor. These moves are also motivated on occasion by job relocation or competitive mortgage rates which reduce the long-term cost of "moving up" in price range. Upgrading to a more desirable home can be made easier by the equity build-up in your current home. 

Emply Nesters Usually those who have no immediate family or whose family has grown and left the home. These buyers are typically looking for a home which provides a more convenient and practical style and floor plan. 

Relocatee In our modern and mobile society, employees are often obliged to relocate in order to further their careers. The relocatee, whose main vocational interest is job advancement, must be willing to relocate frequently and as a result, must purchase a home which has appeal to the broad range of the buying market. 

A wealth of other buyer types There are many other types of buyers which are different from or are a blend of the above basic Buyer Profiles. Some persons build or buy to satisfy a need to be recognized as having succeeded in their life's work. Others may be motivated to buy for strictly environmental or altruistic reasons. Regardless of the reason for your specific interest in buying a home, it is essential to maintain an open and flexible approach. Rarely does the "perfect" home exist - even if you build it. So long as your most importing buying criteria are met and the home provides you with an overall positive feeling, you've probably found a home which will offer you much long-term satisfaction. It certainly helps to have the ability to search the wealth of online listings available, and to dream a little when looking for your perfect home. But ultimately, buying is about determining who you are, what your needs are, and what the market holds for you. Your J.S. Walker agent can help determine where you fall in the spectrum of home buyers, and assist you in the successful purchase of a home.