When you buy a home, you are constantly hit with location, location, location. So, o.k., you get that where the house is located should play an important part in your home search, but aren’t there other factors to think about? Sure there are. Here is where everyone asks you how much you want to spend, how many bedrooms the home must have. Does the house need a garage, family room, separate dining room, fireplace, hardwood floors, etc.? The list could go on and on, but eventually we all need to prioritize our list. How do we go about doing that?
Take this short quiz. There are no right or wrong answers and don’t think about it too much!
Read the following questions, in order, and visualize the scenes in your mind. There are only 4 scenes – easy to remember. No looking ahead – keep your answers true and uninfluenced.
Read an imagine the following scenes in your mind.
1. You are walking in the woods – who are you walking with?
2. You walk deeper into the woods. You enter a clearing and before you is your dream home. Describe its size.
3. Is your dream house surrounded by a fence?
4. You enter the house. You walk to the dining area and see the dining room table. Describe what you wee on and around the table.
What does it mean?
The questions above show the relationship to our values and ideals. It is important to honour ourselves when we purchase a home. Read below to see how your answers relate to your home buying experience.
1. The person you are walking with is the most important person in your life. You should get their opinion and have them be a part of your home buying decisions.
2. The size of your dream home is representative of the size of your ambition for the home. For example, if it is a small cottage, you may want to consider a home that is move in ready. The bigger the home, the more projects you are willing to take on.
3. No fence is indicative of an open home. People are welcome at all times. You would want to have a home that allows for visitors and company. The presence of a fence is more indicative of a private home. You would prefer people to not drop by unannounced. This matters for your home buying decision. Either way, pay close attention to location, size and amenities. Make sure they tie in with your desire for company vs. your private palace.
4. If your answer did not include food, people or flowers then you are a homebody. Your home is just for you and no one else. If your answer did include any of the above then other people, factors, situations influence your decision and the type of home that would make you feel comfortable.
Now we are at the second part of the quiz.
This quiz takes a look at how we prioritize our lives. Our priorities influence our decisions, and how we decide to live our lives. Read the list of actions below. Imagine they are all happening at the same time. Prioritize what you would do first, second, third, etc. There are no wrong answers. No peeking – it works better if you are uninfluenced by the results.
Place the following situations in the order you would complete them.
- The phone is ringing.
- The doorbell is ringing.
- The clothes are hanging outside and it has started to rain.
- The baby is crying.
- The water is running from the tap.
Think about what you will do first, then second and so on. Scroll down to see the explanation. Each action reflects the priorities that you have set in your life. Take a look at the following table to see which priority corresponds to which action.
| Action | Priority |
| Attend the phone | Career and job |
| See who is at the door | Friends and relatives |
| Pick up the clothes | Love |
| Attend the baby | Family |
| Switch the tap off | Wealth |
What does this have to do with your home?
Check your priorities below for an explanation.
1. Career and Job: Your room is the Den/Home Office. You need that home office. A home that has a close proximity to where you work is a definite.
2. Friends and Relatives: Your room is the Dining Room. It is important to have a place in the home for family to come and visit. A place for a large table for meals. A place for your Christmas tree and seating. A house with a nice layout for entertaining.
3. Love: Its all about the bedroom and master bath. A place for you to have your personal haven. Most likely including a walk in closet.
4. Family: The Kitchen is your room – it has to function and work as hard as you do. It is important to have enough space for the family, a yard, close to schools and parks.
5. Wealth: Your room is the Family Room with the latest flat screen TV, and the components that go with it, and a large comfy sofa to enjoy your spoils. You want a house with some panache-a home that shows how hard you work. A prestigious location would be a selling point for you.
Maybe these interpretations of your answers are not 100% accurate, but they should help you organize your own thoughts on what to really look for in your new home!
Tags: first time home buyer, home buying, house buying, how to buy a house, what should I look for in a home, what should I look for in a house