When looking to buy a home, many buyers are romanced by hardwood floors, granite counter tops, crown moldings, and the list goes on. Unfortunately, these upgrades are far from the most important aspects of which home to choose.
Most important is location, lot size, and a functional floor plan.
Location determines price, which schools your children will attend, weather, and transportation. This is not something you can change.
Lot size is also very important because most times, the dirt is more valuable than the dwelling itself. It also dictates how large of a home can be built. If you have a small home on a large lot, it has potential to add-on later, or value to another buyer who would like to do an addition.
Having a functional floor plan is also very important because although you may be able to get a home for less money if it has a bad floor plan, you will also be receiving less money if and when it comes time for you to sell. An example of a bad floor plan is when going through a bedroom or den, to get to another bedroom. You should never have to do this. Another example is having the family room in a strange place of the home.
Although it’s nice looking at gleaming hardwood floors, granite counter tops, and crown moldings, it’s not the most important. Those are “cosmetic details” that can generally be added for a small price once the home is purchased.
