 
Home Criteria and Location
Before the home search begins, your real estate agent will want to know as much as possible about the features and amenities you desire. To help your agent better serve you, analyze what you want and what you need in a home’s features and amenities.
Features:
- Age: Do you prefer established properties, or newer ones?
- Style: Do you have a special preference for ranches, bungalows, or another style of construction?
- Bedrooms: How many?
- Bathrooms: How many? Updated? or Fixer-Upper?
- Living and Dining Areas: A traditional, formal layout, or a more open contemporary plan?
- Stories: How many?
- Square feet: How much space?
- Ceilings: How high?
- Kitchen: How big? Recently updated? Fixer-Upper? Open to other living areas?
- Storage: Big closets, walk-in closets, kitchen pantry, a shed, an extra-large garage?
- Parking: A garage or carport? Room for how many cars?
- Extras: Attic or basement?
- Gated area?
Amenities:
- Office
- Play/exercise room
- Security system
- Sprinkler system
- Workshop/Studio
- In-law suite
- Fireplace
- Pool
- Hot tub
- Sidewalk
- Wooded lot or acreage
- Patio, deck, or porch
- Laundry room
LOCATION
Where you buy affects your lifestyle, but it also affects the home’s current and future value. A targeted home search is best achieved with an outline of your preferences in neighborhoods and nearby amenities. Here’s a checklist of items to be consider and communicated to your real estate agent.
* Urban, suburban or rural
* Commute time
* School districts
* Desirable neighborhoods
* Proximity to the airport
* Proximity to restaurants and retail
* Access to major highways and thoroughfares
* Health care facilities
* Parks and recreation
* Length of time you plan to live in the home. Your agent can help regarding growth trends and projections that could affect your investment.)
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