It was British author Jane Austen who opined, “there is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.” You may not be as much of a “homebody” as this quote implies, but the important message is one of being comfortable in your living environment, being in a home that “fits” you. Searching for the ideal home is not unlike exploring relationships. Whether you’re in the searching process and “swiping left,” in the renting (dating) stage, or making that commitment to buying, you are assessing each option for suitability to your lifestyle. And if you’re working with a real estate agent, it’s important you work with one who gets the importance of the perfect fit, like Brown Realty & Property Management.
Non-negotiable needs
You’ve heard the saying, “location is everything,” or, “location, location, location.” It’s true that for some people, location is equally as important, or in some cases more important, than the actual home or apartment. Obviously, some neighborhoods are more affordable than others, which you may need to consider, but other variables factor into the importance of location.
If you don’t have reliable transportation, you will prioritize a location that is either close to the things you need to do, like work or has easy access to reliable public or other transportation options. If you have children, you may need to be close enough to their schools so they can walk or take a bus home or to after-school care when you’re not home, or you’ll want to live along a route where you can easily transport them on your way to and from work. Family health conditions might place living close to medical facilities in this category, as well.
If you work from home, high-speed internet service may be on your “needs” list. In fact, if your living scenario finds you inside your home more than outside, the interior of your home may be more important to you than what is going on outside its walls. If you have a family, you’ll obviously need more space than a single person, with options that can offer privacy as needed, especially for those who work or study at home.
Wanting it all
Your “wants category,” on the other hand, is filled with things that make your life fulfilling but that are higher up on a hierarchy of needs. If you spend most of your time outdoors or have dogs, you may have easy access to trailheads or parks and plentiful green spaces high on your list. Exercise hounds may want lots of bike and running paths, while others want plentiful options for fine dining, designer coffee shops, or proximity to friends. Some people crave a downtown vibe, while others yearn for a more peaceful suburban or rural ambiance.
The “wants” category can be tricky because while you may not be able to win an internal argument with yourself that these items are necessary, they can add significantly to your quality of life and keep you engaged in your life, which is an important factor in our mental health. One way to tackle it is to write down all of your “wants” and then prioritize them. You may not be able to get them all alongside your “needs,” but successfully obtaining the most desirable ones can be important to your overall well-being.
As in relationships, it may be that you don’t realize how important something is to you until you’ve lived without it – or with it – for a while. This is what makes “dating a home,” or renting, such a valuable option before jumping into homebuying. You can get a clearer picture of what amenities really add value to your life, or whether a location “feels like home” before buying a home there. You can choose from some varied rental options in San Antonio and with a cost of living lower than other cities around the country, you’ll still find plenty of amenities – from pet-friendly apartments to convenient access to reputable medical facilities – to suit most lifestyles and family configurations.
You’ll find the one!
Finding that right home match may be a process, but when you find The One, you’ll realize that it was worth the effort and maybe even a few trials and errors. Brown Realty & Property Management can help remove some of the legwork for you, but when it comes to understanding whether any home or apartment is really “where your heart is,” you’ll have to rely on your own experiences, feelings, and intuition! Call (210) 789-4216 today!
Photo by Oakville News on Unsplash
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