Creating a wish list is like crafting the blueprint for your perfect home. It’ll help you identify what features are most important and those that won’t influence your decision, making it easier to stay focused when you’re shopping for a new home.

While nothing is impossible, finding a house with everything you want at your price point might feel unlikely. Identifying your must-have, would-be-nice, and absolutely-not features helps you to understand where you’re willing to compromise so you can compare houses and make a confident buying decision.

Residence 2 Floor Plan, Sundance Neighborhood, Rosewood Community, Morgan Hill, California

1. Start by envisioning your dream home

Before you start writing down the specifics, sit back and imagine what your ideal home looks like. Is there a spacious backyard with room for your dog to roam? Are you in the heart of a vibrant downtown where you can walk to the hottest restaurants and shopping?

Think about the vibes of each room: Do you see a big kitchen filled with family and friends? Is there a cozy living room where you can all snuggle around the fireplace on a chilly winter evening? Do you want to curl up with a good book surrounded by natural sunlight streaming in through lots of large windows?

Envision the neighborhood and community, too. Is there a pool you can enjoy in the summer? Maybe there’s a fitness center just steps away from your front door. Do the kids need a playground or perhaps a biking trail for yourself?

It’s your dream home. Think about what it needs to make it feel like “you.” Consider how big or efficiently sized you want it to be, how it looks, and the overall feeling you want to have living there.

2. List your essentials

Realistically, your dream home may not be attainable at this moment in time, but imagining it does give you a starting point from which to work. Maybe you don’t need five bedrooms and can get by with three. Maybe you need a basement, but it doesn’t have to be finished right now.

Your must-have list will be made up of things you cannot purchase a home without. Some are universal, which most people have, such as an ideal location or price point, while others may be more tailored to your specific needs, like requiring a soundproof office for podcasting or a multi-generational suite for your parents.

Examples of essentials can include:

• Location
• Price range
• Bedroom & bath count
• Quality of nearby schools
• Commuting time and public transportation options

Artisan Four Floor Plan, Artisan Portfolio, Barefoot Lakes Community, Firestone, Colorado

3. Identify your wants

Your wants, or nice-to-have list, are features you’re willing to compromise on. Having these items would incentivize you to buy a home, but you won’t pass up a house that meets your needs just because it’s missing some of your wants.

Examples of wants can include:

• Walk-in closets
• Backyard pool
• Large kitchen island
• Three-car garage

Your wants and needs are going to be personal to your lifestyle and household. If you really can’t imagine hosting a holiday dinner in a kitchen without a double oven, you can absolutely add it to your must-have list.

Just keep in mind that if your list of needs gets too lengthy, you may have a harder time finding the right house.

4. Know what you don’t want

Considering features you don’t want in a home can be just as helpful as identifying the ones that you do. Think back to the places you’ve lived previously, and list out the things you loved and hated.

You may remember trying to bake in your first apartment and the frustration of having too little counter space to work. If you hated lugging baskets up and down the stairs during laundry time, a second-level laundry room may be a must-have for your future home.

Knowing these nuances about yourself is helpful when buying a home you’ll live in for years, possibly decades, to come.

Columbia Floor Plan, Urban Courtyard Homes Collection, Easton Park Community, Austin, Texas

5. Consider location priorities

You may have a general area, a certain city, or a specific neighborhood on your wish list. Your home’s location can have a major impact on your happiness, hobbies, and overall lifestyle. To ensure you’re settling in the best place to call home, consider the following:

• Neighborhood safety
• Community amenities
• School ratings
• Commute time
• Shopping, dining, retail, and entertainment options

If you’re a social butterfly, you may want to be close to the local coffee shop so you can easily meet up with friends. If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, you’ll want easy access to trails or well-lit walking paths.

Consider how a new location will affect your day-to-day life, including nearby schools, the closest grocery store, and your commute time or availability of public transportation. Your home is more than an address – it’s the foundation for everyday experiences.

6. Include flexibility for the future

If you’re hoping your new home will be a place you can settle in for the long haul, factor in potential future needs to your wish list. Do you want to have kids in the next few years, or will they be leaving the nest? Do you have aging parents you plan to care for? Are you retiring soon and want a low-maintenance lifestyle?

Think about flexible spaces or multi-use rooms that can evolve as your needs change. A home office today can become a nursery in a few years, or your kid’s bedroom can turn into a home gym or guest room when they move out.

Be realistic about the home’s current maintenance needs and your ability to tackle those chores in the future. While you might love all the grass now, it may become harder to mow and maintain down the road.

If you know this house isn’t your forever home, think about features that would appeal to future buyers. Choosing energy-efficient appliances, incorporating smart home devices, and thoughtfully considering design choices can increase the home’s resale potential down the line.

7. Brainstorm with others

Friends, family, your real estate agent, or the new home sales counselor are all great resources to lean on when crafting your new home wish list. They’ll each have a unique perspective to share and may be able to offer suggestions you hadn’t considered before.

Your friends from the dog park love their built-in dog wash station in their mudroom. Your sister-in-law with the best cookie recipe knows how important a large kitchen island is during the holidays. The new home sales counselor shows you all the options you could make for your house, and now you know what you can’t live without.

Sheridan II Floor Plan, Single Family Collection, Snowden Bridge, Stephenson, Virginia

A new home wish list is a valuable tool when shopping for a new home. When you know what you want (and don’t want!) in a house, you can buy with confidence and enjoy a home that feels just right.

Let us help you find your new home! Explore where we build and connect with our sales team when you’re ready to learn more. We’ll be expecting you!