75 Home Features to Consider as You Narrow Your ‘Wants’ List

wants

Buying a home can be one of the most exhilarating, most frustrating experiences of adulthood—whether it’s your first home purchase or your fourth. The not-so-fun parts can be summed up pretty easily: Reality tends to stomp all over our Instagram-worthy dreams of landing the perfect house in the best neighborhood for an I-can’t-believe-we-got-it-for-that price.

Like most things in life, the way to avoid discouragement in the home-buying process is to set reasonable expectations. That’s easier said than done, of course, particularly if you’re buying a home with a partner whose definitions of “want” and “need” are vastly different from yours. But hashing out some tough decisions before you ever start exploring listings will save you time and money in the long run.

To help you through that process, we’ve assembled a list of 75 features to consider as you’re dreaming about your next home. Don’t just think about your answers; write them down and then sort them into three categories:

  1. Deal Breaker
  2. Major Plus
  3. No Biggie.

It might help you to put your answers on a spreadsheet or, if you’re old-school, on individual note cards so you can physically sort them. (No fair throwing the cards at your partner, though.)

Remember, this exercise is to help you narrow your wants list, so choose those Deal Breakers wisely.

Neighborhood Features

  1. Setting (urban, suburban, rural)
  2. Neighborhood covenants/restrictions
  3. Quality of schools
  4. Crime rate
  5. Traffic patterns
  6. Access to public transportation
  7. Commute time
  8. Walkability (proximity to essentials, like a grocery store or coffee shop)
  9. Recreational opportunities (golf course, lake, parks, playgrounds)
  10. Utilities (e.g., public water v. well)
  11. Sidewalks
  12. Types of neighbors (age, family composition, etc.)

Check out these featured Las Vegas Neighborhoods!

 

Exterior Home Features

  1. Architecture (e.g., craftsman, colonial, Victorian, cottage, Tudor, etc.)
  2. Materials (e.g., brick, vinyl siding, wood)
  3. Roof age and type (shingle, metal, shake, slate, wood, etc.)
  4. Size of lot
  5. Fence (or possibility of adding one later)
  6. Garage size
  7. Energy conservation features
  8. Swimming pool
  9. Deck
  10. Porch
  11. Patio
  12. Landscaping
  13. Driveway
  14. Outdoor kitchen
  15. Sprinkler/irrigation system
  16. Garden
  17. Fireplace
  18. Direction home faces

 

Home Systems Features

  1. Type of heat (electric, gas, propane) and age of unit(s)
  2. Central air conditioning and age of unit(s)
  3. Plumbing type and age of system
  4. Type, size, and age of water heater
  5. Age of electrical wiring
  6. Sump pump
  7. Security system
  8. Attic fan
  9. Ceiling fans
  10. Smart thermostat(s)
  11. Dual HVAC system
  12. Window type/condition
  13. Solar energy options
  14. ADA features (wider doors, grab bars, ramp, etc.)

 

Basic/Interior Home Features

  1. Age of home
  2. Square footage
  3. Number of floors
  4. Basement
  5. Flow (e.g., open concept vs. individual rooms)
  6. Number and size of bedrooms
  7. Location of master bedroom (main floor or second floor)
  8. Walk-in closets
  9. In-home office
  10. Separate family room/den/rec room/playroom
  11. Home theater/media room
  12. Workout room
  13. Laundry room
  14. Mud room
  15. Flooring type (carpet, vinyl, hardwood, laminate, tile)
  16. Finished basement
  17. Attic
  18. Fireplace(s)
  19. Kitchen appliances (refrigerator, stove/oven, microwave, dishwasher, disposal, ice maker)
  20. Kitchen island
  21. Wet bar
  22. Eat-in kitchen
  23. Formal dining room
  24. Pantry
  25. Countertops (granite, marble, laminate, etc.)
  26. Sink type and size
  27. Remodeled/updated kitchen
  28. Number of bathrooms
  29. Bathroom size (number of sinks, dressing area, and so on)
  30. Shower size and type (tub, walk-in, etc.)
  31. Remodeled/updated bathrooms

Now that you’ve put each of these 75 “wants” into one of the three categories above, it’s time to get serious. Put an “x” through the entire No Biggies list. The items on your Major Plus list are just that; bonuses. So, set that one aside for now. Circle your Deal Breaker list; this is the one you want to focus on. But, remember, the more Deal Breakers you have, the more difficult your home search will be. Got your list ready? Our team of expert realtors is committed to helping you find the home with as many of those items as possible. Start your search!

Think you’ve already found the perfect home? 13 questions to ask before you sign!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Vegas One Realty

4035 S. Tenaya Way, Suite 200
Las Vegas, NV 89147
Phone (702) 768-1115
Fax (702) 242-6680
tommy@vegasonerealty.com

Sign up for our newsletter