Chris and I have been wanting to purchase a home for some time now, but between college, two years of grad school, and living in 4 different states over the past few years, it hasn’t exactly been the ideal time to do so. Now that school is officially out of the picture, we finally have the freedom to decide our future, but that’s easier said than done when you have a never ending battle of “should I stay or should I go” going on in your mind though. Should we stay in Texas or move back home? If we can ever figure that one out, we can finally get the ball rolling for our future home we hope to have soon after we get married around this time next year! In the meantime, I’ll just be over here stalking real estate listings and adding to the house wish list.
By now, I pretty much know what we both want in a home, so I figured why not share my ideal house hunt checklist!
White Kitchen
Everyday, I literally dream of having a white kitchen with carrara marble or white quartzite (I hear it holds up better) countertops. I told Chris the kitchen is the one thing I don’t want to settle on, so it may be better for us to either build a home or renovate an older one. Purchasing a move in ready home may not be so ideal for us, since renovating a perfectly fine kitchen with cherry wood cabinets and dark granite countertops wouldn’t exactly give a future return on investment.
Open Floorpan
This was something I never cared much about until I saw my Mom’s new house and realized just how much I liked the kitchen being open to the living area. I often feel disconnected when I’m in the kitchen for hours and can’t see what’s going on in the rest of the house, especially if people are over, so I think an open floorpan is a great way to be a part of it all.
Large Yard
I don’t need an acre of land, but something larger than a cemented patio and a small patch of grass would be nice and I think our dogs would agree! I’m obsessed with my Mom’s yard and would replicate it in a heartbeat. There are two patio areas, one for the fire pit in the colder months and crawfish boils in the warmer months, and one for tv watching, which is perfect for football season. This is a must have for us LSU Tiger fans later on down the road!
Home Office Space
Have you seen my messy desk space after a full night of jewelry making in last night’s Snapchat (@thesouthrnthing)!!? That alone says it all. This photo is not what it looks like at all times!
Four Bedrooms
Four bedrooms would be ideal: a master, an office, and two guest rooms (or one extra room if we ever decide to expand our family).
No Carpet
I don’t want any carpet at all, just hardwood and tile please! Now I know this is something that can easily be changed out in any home, but the less extra costs the better.
His and Her Closets
Please tell me I’m not the only one that dislikes seeing their fiancé’s man stuff in their closet! Maybe it’s because I’m the only child, and somewhere along the journey of growing up I didn’t fully learn how to share (I did, I promise!), but I need my own space and closet time is not the time I play nice and share! Man shoes smell and no lady has time for a smelly closet!
Lots of Natural Light
During the day, I rarely turn on the lights as I much rather prefer the natural daylight. Ideally I would want to make sure my future home had lots of windows that let in the natural light. Chris and I once made the mistake of living in a small downtown apartment in Connecticut with a bedroom that didn’t have a window. To say it felt like a dungeon would be an understatement!
Great Buying Experience
I’ve heard the horror stories of how stressful buying a home can be, so anything that can make the process go a bit more smoothly and to the point is a must have in my book. I’m the kind of person that likes to know all the details up front, so any hidden costs down the line are no bueno. Capital One Home Loans recently launched a new tool that allows customers to make adjustments, such as home price, down payment, and mortgage loan calculators, and mortgage type, to see how much they can afford, including estimated monthly payment and APR in real time, and I’m thinking that would be very convenient for when the time comes. The new Capital One digital home loan experience is empowering potential homebuyers to take charge, while providing them the transparency they want and need every step of the way, so I’m hoping our future home buying process won’t be as stressful as some may say.
Do you have future plans to purchase a home? What’s on your house hunt checklist?
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
valaroundtown.com says
A white kitchen is a must!
Dara @ The Southern Thing says
Yes it is! It's the one thing I want the most!
Christine Everyday says
Something to keep in mind is that the cost to replace carpets with hardwoods can sometimes be cheaper than to buy a home with them already installed. Though it may seem like a pain, it's actually quite easy to install hardwoods. For us, the cost of about $4000 added approximately $10000 to the value of our home. So you could save money doing it yourself.
Rachel @ Love, Rachel says
Omgosh your home is beautiful! I love the crisp clean feel.
Brittany Lockwood says
This is almost exactly what I want in a home!! I definitely agree with no carpet, sure it may get cold in the winter and you see ALL the dust, but with an iRobot Roomba Vacuum or enough effort, that wouldn't be a problem. Plus all that dust is just hanging out in your carpets! I think we decided that when the time comes we are just going to build our own home so it can be exactly what we want and a solid investment!
xx. Brittany | Southern Soul
Dara @ The Southern Thing says
I've been heating a lot about those Roomba vacuums lately. Definitely adding that to my list when we get a home! And I'm with you on building, nothing beats getting exactly what you want!
Breakfast at Lillys says
I'd love a white kitchen, lots of natural light, and his/her closest for sure. I'd also like an office and maybe even a library haha.
xoxo, Jenny || Breakfast at Lillys
Alison says
I'm the oldest of five and I don't want to see anyone's stuff in my closet:P Love white kitchens too. My favorite!!! Good luck with where to go:)
Kari Guastella says
Gorgeous white cabinets!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Lindsay Rosasco says
Yes please to all of the items on your checklist! I love my house, but I also look forward to buying my next 'forever home.' White kitchen is a must. I love your photo inspiration, it's totally my taste.
Amber Mamian says
A white kitchen is one I've always dreamed of. With 5 kids I am thinking I better wait a few more years. But, the next house for sure…along with most of the other items you mentioned. Natural light being another big one for me.
Kristin says
When you find your perfect house, can you find me its twin, please?! Your list is my list to a T!
Dara @ The Southern Thing says
Well I do love house hunting, so absolutely!
Mary La Fornara says
You have described the perfect home! That kitchen is beautiful and thank you for mentioning the white quartzite, I have never heard of that and I was so worried about adding the Carrera marble to my kitchen. Good luck!
Dara @ The Southern Thing says
You're welcome! Just research carrara marble alternatives and you'll find a ton of useful information and reviews!
Rocio Chavez says
You just described my next home �� Great minds think alike. I totally need more natural light in my life.
Rocio Chavez says
You just described my next home �� Great minds think alike. I totally need more natural light in my life.
Deb Wolf says
Great list! I agree with everything. The one thing I would add is . . . location, location, location. You can change lots of things about the house you buy. You can remodel and redecorate all over the place. BUT you cannot change your neighbors or the things seen as you drive up to the house. I can't tell you how many times I won't even go inside, because the area becomes a deal breaker. Happy House Hunting to you!!
Dara @ The Southern Thing says
Thankfully the area wouldn't be much of an issue if we were to move back to my hometown, but I couldn't agree more!
Oh Chel says
Totally on you with the his and her closets. Only.. mine doesn't fold or hang his stuff. Pff. I love more natural lighting and so totally want an open floor plan from the kitchen to our living room.
Great list!
Dara @ The Southern Thing says
Mine's not so great at folding and hanging either. Must be a man thing!
Lisa says
We are currently house hunting. Our list is 3 bedrooms, 1 3/4- 2 bathrooms, a good size fenced yard, a nice size kitchen, 2 car garage, those are the main things. I'd like white cabinets in the kitchen but it's not a deal breaker.