Making your dream home a reality: steps to take before house hunting
Posted on February 29th, 2024A house is a building; a home is a place of belonging, safety and comfort. It’s the feeling you get the moment you walk through the door and leave the world outside. It’s the place where you build memories with the people you love and the things you cherish.
The house-buying process extends beyond solicitors and stamp duty. It’s about finding the home of your dreams. But before you dive headfirst into online listings and open houses, it’s worth taking a step back and clearly defining your needs and desires. Understanding what matters most to you will help ensure your forever home truly lives up to its name.
Defining Your Dream: Living Requirements
It’s not just about the square footage on the floor plan. It’s about creating a space that reflects your unique needs, aspirations and lifestyle. So, it’s essential to think about who will be sharing your home. Consider children, pets and any potential plans to extend your family. This can translate into additional bedrooms, dedicated play areas or washing facilities to clean up after muddy walks.
What’s your long-term vision? Do you want your new home to have the space and versatility to reflect potential life changes as a family living space or a comfortable home-working haven? Are you looking for functionality or flair? Are you excited by a separate utility room? Do you have dreams of a walk-in wardrobe? Or perhaps you are more less is more. Either way, everybody will have their list of ideals, so take the time to think about the rooms, layouts and features that would suit your daily life, as well as your future.
Understanding the Benefits of Buying a New Home
With older homes, there are ongoing upkeep costs, such as electrical rewiring, plumbing upgrades or roof replacements, so you need to be thinking long-term. However, with new builds, you may acquire some protection against future defects and faults. For example, every Seddon Homes property comes with a 10 year insurance-backed structural warranty from either NHBC.
Look out for features like energy-saving appliances and insulation to reduce utility bills. New-build homes are typically up to 60% more energy efficient than existing properties. This helps you not only save money, but reduce your carbon footprint.
Beyond the Blueprint, adding your finishing touches
When exploring potential properties, consider the potential for customisation. Existing properties with established features are less flexible, and you may not have control over renovations and additions within the community guidelines and planning permissions.
New builds offer more flexibility in choosing finishes and layouts. You can choose your plot, potentially have in-put on the final touches (subject to build stage – another consideration) and decide how you are going to decorate it once you move in. Your perfect new home, exactly as you want it.
Location x 3
Looking beyond the house itself, find a location that works with your personality and daily routines. Consider the neighbourhood’s community, schools and amenities to see if it suits your commute, values and lifestyle. Are you a sophisticated urbanite looking for a vibrant town centre with artisan coffee shops? Or a nature lover hankering for fresh air and green open spaces? Of course, choosing the right location with good transport links means you can have the best of both worlds.
Happy house hunting
Buying a new house is an exciting journey – enjoy the process! Remember, your dream home is not just about the bricks and mortar; it’s about the life you envision within it. Keep these simple pointers in mind, and you’ll be well on your way to turning your dream into a reality that perfectly fits your needs and lifestyle.
At Seddon Homes, we provide only the very best service to all our customers. From the initial enquiry, to presenting you with the keys, our friendly and expert team is here to support you. Renowned for over 125 years of commitment to quality craftsmanship, attention to detail, and customer satisfaction, we offer a diverse range of thoughtfully designed properties to cater to various needs and preferences. Whether you’re looking for a picture-perfect starter home or a generous 5 bedroom family abode, we’ve got something for you. You can view all of our current developments here. So, why not get in touch by filling out our simple online enquiry form, and we will be sure to reach out and start you on your journey to your forever home.
Blog page Older Posts Newer Posts
