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Looking for Your Dream Home? Know What You Want vs. What You Need

Tuesday, September 12, 2017   /   by Hunt Brothers Realty

Looking for Your Dream Home? Know What You Want vs. What You Need

In this day and age of being able to shop for anything anywhere, it is really important to know what you’re looking for when you start your home search.


If you’ve been thinking about buying a home of your own for some time now, you’ve probably come up with a list of things that you’d LOVE to have in your new home. Many new homebuyers fantasize about the amenities that they see on television or Pinterest, and start looking at the countless homes listed for sale through rose-colored glasses.


Do you really need that farmhouse sink in the kitchen to be happy with your home choice? Would a two-car garage be a convenience or a necessity? Could the ‘man cave’ of your dreams be a future renovation project instead of a make-or-break right now?


The first step in your home buying process should be getting pre-approved for your mortgage. This allows you to know your budget before you fall in love with a home that is way outside of it.


The next step is to list all the features of a home that you would like, and to qualify them as follows:



    • ‘Must-Haves’ – if this property does not have these items, then it shouldn’t even be considered (ex: distance from work or family, number of bedrooms/bathrooms).

    • ‘Should-Haves’ – if the property hits all of the ‘must-haves’ and some of the ‘should-haves,’ it stays in contention but does not need to have all of these features.

    • ‘Absolute-Wish List’ – if we find a property in our budget that has all of the ‘must-haves,’ most of the ‘should-haves,’ and ANY of these, it’s the winner!


Bottom Line


Having this list fleshed out before starting your search will save you time and frustration, while also letting your agent know what features are most important to you before starting to show you houses in your desired area.


  for buyers, move-up buyers, first time home buyers

Hunt Brothers Realty, Inc.
Licensed Real Estate Brokerage
46 N Washington Blvd Suite #3
Sarasota, FL 34236
941-388-7017
Hunt Brothers

The source of this real property information is the copyrighted and proprietary database compilation of the Southwest Florida MLS organizations Copyright 2025. Southwest Florida MLS organizations. All rights reserved. The accuracy of this information is not warranted or guaranteed. This information should be independently verified if any person intends to engage in a transaction in reliance upon it. The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification.
2025 Royal Palm Coast REALTOR® Association. All rights reserved. Information has not been verified, is not guaranteed, and is subject to change. The data relating to real estate for sale on this web site comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) of the Florida Gulf Coast Multiple Listing Service, Inc. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Chris Hunt Sites IDX logo and detailed information about them includes the name of the listing brokers. The information being provided is for consumers personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Last Updated: 2/14/2025 7:35 PM CST
The data relating to real estate for sale on this limited electronic display comes in part from the Southwest Florida Multiple Listing Services. Properties listed with brokerage firms other than Chris Hunt Sites are marked with the BR Program Icon or the BR House Icon and detailed information about them includes the name of the Listing Brokers. The properties displayed may not be all the properties available through the BR Program. The source of this real property information is the copyrighted and proprietary database compilation of the participating Southwest Florida MLS organizations and is Copyright 2017 Southwest Florida MLS organizations. All rights reserved. The accuracy of this information is not warranted or guaranteed. This information should be independently verified if any person intends to engage in a transaction in reliance upon it. Some properties that appear for sale on this limited electronic display may no longer be available. For the most current information, contact Chris Hunt Sites Data last updated 2/14/2025 7:35 PM CST.
The source of this real property information is the copyrighted and proprietary database compilation of the Southwest Florida MLS organizations Copyright 2025. Southwest Florida MLS organizations. All rights reserved. The accuracy of this information is not warranted or guaranteed. This information should be independently verified if any person intends to engage in a transaction in reliance upon it. The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification.
mls logo© 2025 My Florida Regional MLS DBA Stellar MLS, Inc.. All rights reserved. The data relating to real estate displayed on this website comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) Program of My Florida Regional MLS DBA Stellar MLS, Inc. All listing information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified through personal inspection by appropriate professionals. Listings displayed on this website may be subject to prior sale or removal from sale; availability of any listing should always be independently verified. Listing information is provided for consumers' personal, non-commercial use, solely to identify potential properties for potential purchase; all other use is strictly prohibited and may violate relevant federal and state law.2/14/2025 7:35 PM CST
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