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Prioritising need vs nice in your house hunt

House hunting is something that can rarely be accomplished in a week or two, it will often require a lot of viewings, endless hours searching online and a lot of planning. One of the reasons many people struggle when it comes to finding a new house is because they don’t have their needs and nice to haves worked out.

Or even worse they could have them back to front, if you’re basing your decisions based solely on your nice to haves then get ready for a long search because finding a house with everything you’d like to have will be very difficult! So, what are your needs and nice to haves?

Your needs are the most important things and the things you should prioritise above all else! The nice to haves are things you want but don’t actually need, think of it like this you might like gardening and therefore want a big garden.

But if you could still enjoy your hobby with a small garden then it’s a nice to have and not something you actually need. Needs and nice to haves will vary from person to person depending on their unique circumstances so let’s have a look at some prime examples, shall we?

Bedrooms

Bedrooms are one of the most important parts of anyone’s house search if you’re living alone you might still want an extra room for guests. But it’s important you know the distinction between a want and a need when it comes to bedrooms. A guest room might be nice but it’s not an essential is it? Which means it should go on the nice to have list and not be a priority.

The Location

The location of your new home is going to be one of the most important aspects when you’re searching. But despite this it can still be something many people fail to prioritise, do you need a home close to work or can you afford to commute? There are other important things to consider like catchment areas for schools and local amenities as well. 

Bathrooms

Just like with bedrooms bathrooms are another important priority if you have a disability or live with someone who does a downstairs bathroom might be essential. If you have a big family then you might think it is essential to have more than one but in many cases that is more of a nice to have and not an essential.

The Size

Just how big do you need your house to be? If you’re living alone of there are just two people you might not need a lot of space, don’t get me wrong you might want a big house but you won’t actually need it, will you? Whereas a big family will likely need to prioritise the size of any house they’re searching for in order to ensure everyone has enough room.

A Garden

I previously mentioned gardens as an example of a need to have vs a nice to have. But gardens are often a point of heavy debate some people will make them their main priority while other people simply won’t care if they have one or not. So, gardens are something that really comes to down to personal opinion in many respects.

How Do You Workout Your Needs And Nice To Haves?

Working out your need to haves and your nice to haves can be quite tricky because it will all come down to your own personal views and circumstances. But if you’re struggling to decide what fits into each category I do have some advice.

Simply think about what you really need. Do you need three bedrooms or can you get by with just two? Do you need a house that is only 10 minutes from work when you could get one further away and take the bus or drive instead?

Be honest and firm with yourself and then list your need to haves and nice to haves on two separate lists and then use those to help you search for your new property. In the end, you might not be able to tick off all your nice to haves but in the majority of cases, you’ll still find a property offering some of them. And best of all you will find a property that meets all your essential needs.