New Home in Edmonton: A Needs Versus Wants Checklist

When planning to purchase a new home, you likely have lots of ideas about features and amenities you must have in your house and community. While some features on your needs and wants house checklist are mandatory, others are likely luxury perks. Deciding what you absolutely need versus what you want will help you find the right home within your budget.

Needs are features like rooms, appliances, and fixtures that you must have in order to function and live comfortably in your home and neighbourhood. Wants are the added bonuses or luxury features that add to the appeal of your property or lifestyle, but they don’t necessarily improve function.

How do you decide if something is a want or need? While some features are fairly easy to categorize, others are not. When assessing your own homebuyer wants and needs checklist, take into consideration how the feature will improve the quality and functionality of your life. Other considerations to think about when deciding your needs versus wants in a new Edmonton home purchase include:

The Essentials

What are the absolute basic essentials you need in your home to ensure it is a functional and comfortable place for you and your family now and in the future? For example, number of bedrooms or bathrooms to meet the needs of your family. The home’s floorplan, yardage, and other essential rooms or areas. A home office to one family might be an essential whereas a family with small children might need a room for the children to play safely or provide extra storage.

Having a list of essential needs to make a home functional for you and your family will lay the foundation for finding the right house in Edmonton.

Floorplan and Home Size

Take time to research different floorplans and house sizes to see what will work best for you and your family. For example, number of bedrooms, finished basement versus undeveloped, in-law suite versus open space, open floorplan versus sectioned areas and wall. By looking at different floorplans and housing size options, you can compare your must-haves home buyer’s checklist with what is on the market.

Budget

As you shop for your needs and wants house checklist, make sure they fit in with your budget. Your available finances should cover your needs first and then your wants. When shopping for your home, it is important that it fits within your budget.

Design and Construction

Today’s newer homes are made primarily of eco-friendly and sustainable materials, to reduce our carbon footprint and withstand severe weather systems. While newer homes have eco-friendly features and construction materials, most older homes don’t. This will not only affect your home’s carbon footprint, but it will add to the short- and long-term cost to upgrade and maintain your home.

Lifestyle and Location

Where you move and the amenities in the area are also important and should be considered when making a must-have home buyers checklist. If you have, or plan to have children, you will likely need a home that is close to schools. If you commute to work, access to public transportation is a necessity. Other necessities could be access to medical facilities, vet clinics and other essential services that are vital to your lifestyle. Amenities such as entertainment venues, cafes, restaurants, shops, or parks could be considered wants or perks. Knowing which communities and amenities within those areas are needed, will help in your search for the right home.

Edmonton is a booming and vibrant place with plenty of affordable housing options available. If you are in the market for a new home, creating a homebuyer wants and needs checklist will help you prioritize the must-haves versus the bonus features in your search the right home.