Buying a home...

This topic has been covered by everyone, or has it? When purchasing a home, there are certain things that I believe need to be considered, and I do not believe that many authors cover all of these topics in one spot. So, here for my own pleasure (since this site is not to be construde as advice) is what I think to be important when I purchase a home (and I have purchased one or two...)

Am I going to be living in this home? If so, then I do not believe it is a financial investment. If I am living in it, then it is an investment in my piece of mind/mental well-being. That being the case, then there are certain things that I am looking for from MY house. I want X, Y, and Z. Someone else's wants will certainly be different than mine and that is fine because I am planning on living here. Some of the considerations that I believe are important are:

1. Size of the house and lay-out. I believe a house should have 4 bedrooms for my needs. I am sure many people can get away with fewer, and there are certainly those who need more.
2. The yard is also important. I want one. It does not have to be huge, but bigger is better to a point. My current lot has about 6300 square feet, I would prefer something about twice that size. Anything more than a acre seems like a lot of yardwork to me (one acre is about 40,000 square feet).
3. Location, Location, Location...That is the real estate agents mantra. I believe that location is very important. In reality, I would consider this to be of the utmost importance in selecting a home too. You need to feel safe and your school/work/shopping habits all need to be met easily. This is your home, you should enjoy living there.

There are other items that I take into consideration, but I cannot think of them now, but this is a good start on my list. Anyway, the point behind buying a home is to by something that you can enjoy and that your family can enjoy. It is not a house that you are buying, it is a home. It is part of your daily life.

If you stay in your home for a long enough period of time, then it will most-likely prove to be a very wise financial decision as well. The finanical piece of this puzzle is not a good reason to buy a home though, that part of the puzzle is reserved for buying a house.

Best Regards,

Thejester