When you’re looking at buying a new home, there are so many things to think about. From the community to the style of the home and everything in between, the choices can get a bit overwhelming. By the time you’re deciding on customizations for your home, you’ll have already made so many choices that you might not feel up to making many more. To help you with this, we’ve put together a list of the things to consider that will help you make the best decisions for your home.

Number of Rooms

To figure out how many rooms you need, you’ll have to think about your future. The number of rooms in a dream home for a retiree and the number in a dream home for a family are going to be very different. Envision what you want your life to look like in the future and do your best to plan for that scenario. Also consider if you have a large family or do a lot of entertaining. Sometimes home buyers will only consider the number of rooms they need on a daily basis, and end up having to create makeshift bedrooms when guests come.

Size of Rooms

Think about where you spend the most time in your current home. Is it relaxing in your bedroom? Cooking in your kitchen? Watching TV in the living room? With the ability to increase or decrease the size of various spaces in your house, you’ll want to make the rooms you spend the most time in feel very spacious. And make sure not to forget about the bathroom! Size and planning can make a big difference in the luxury and effectiveness of your bathroom. Fitting the family in during bath time can be chaotic in a space that’s too small. You’ll want to make sure you feel comfortable in every room of your new home.

Living Space

Typically, the most amount of time spent in the house is in the kitchen-living room-dining room space. Whether you’re cooking for the family, entertaining friends, or just spending a relaxing night at home, your living space needs to be suitable for every occasion! If you need to see what your kids are doing in the living room, you’ll need to make sure you have a clear line of vision from the kitchen through to the living room. Or if you have a large family that loves to cook together, you’ll want to have plenty of space to maneuver around those family members to get to your dishes.

Storage

People have a tendency to accumulate a lot of stuff as they go through life, and it all has to go somewhere. Make sure you have enough space in your home to store both the items you use daily, and the items that may have less use. A bigger mudroom can be helpful for families, or built in bookshelves can be great for an avid reader.  Don’t forget about cabinetry in your kitchen and bathrooms too!

Home Layout

When you’re looking at floorplans, imagine yourself walking through your future home. Picture your furniture and decorations in the home, and consider your typical day. You’ll want to make sure that the layout of your home suits your needs. Do you want your guests to sleep on the same floor as you? Or in your basement? Do you want your children’s rooms to be close together? Or maybe they need some extra space between them? Maybe you need some extra space from them! When you’re imagining your day, make sure that you have extra space where you need it, and the flow works for you. Maybe you need to move a whole room, or move a staircase – there are so many options.   

Paying attention to the ways you use your current home will help you plan your new home. Look at many show homes, but make sure to keep in mind that homes are customizable – you aren’t forced to live in any particular floor plan! From redesigning your kitchen, to adding rooms, or even widening your whole house, Shane’s Love it or Customize it program allows you to have everything you want in your home.