Create a Priority List to Find Your Family's Next Home

by Dianne Drinkwater 10/07/2018

If relocation and house hunting is in the foreseeable future for you and your family, making a list of requirements and preferences will help ensure that you're satisfied with your next home.

Checklists are available from a variety of sources, including real estate agents and The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

While it's nearly impossible to find an affordable property that's a short drive from everywhere and that meets all your requirements, creating a prioritized list will help you clarify your goals and help you get the real estate features that are the most important to you and your family. Having a well organized list of priorities will also make it easier and more practical for your real estate agent to locate properties for sale that are aligned with your needs and preferences.

While the ideal home should be comfortably close to jobs, schools, childcare, and supermarkets, there are other conveniences and necessities that are sometimes overlooked by home buyers. Here are a few additional items to consider:

Medical and dental offices: Although it's difficult find the ideal house that also happens to be located just a short drive from all your family's medical and dental care providers, it's a goal worth considering when evaluating different properties. Being close to a preferred hospital can also be a desirable feature -- especially if you expect to be looking for top-quality maternity care in the near future.
Houses of worship: If you and your family attend religious services several times a month, it would definitely make life easier to live a short distance from your favorite church, synagogue, or mosque.
Automotive services: When you need an oil change, state inspection, AC maintenance, or car repair, it's much more convenient to have it taken care of close to home.
Transportation: Whether this item ranks high or low on your priority list depends on how often you plan on traveling for work, business, vacations, college, or family visits. For some people, proximity to airports, train stations, bus depots, and major highways can be a major benefit.
Recreational facilities: For families with active lifestyles, being close to tennis courts, golf courses, fitness clubs, playgrounds, walking trails, and other recreation facilities would be considered a big "plus". For others... not so much.
Entertainment: Again, it depends on individual lifestyles, but some people enjoy going to the movies, restaurants, concerts, and the theater on a regular basis.

The value of creating a list of requirements and a "wish list" boils down to clarifying in your own mind the conveniences, services, and facilities that are most important to you and your family. It's also a more efficient method of communicating your hopes and needs to your real estate agent. His or her objective is to help you find the residential property in your target area that best satisfies the majority of your goals, desires, and dreams.

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About the Author

Dianne Drinkwater

Dianne is a full time, full service, state licensed Realtor®, member of Northeast Florida Regional Association of Realtors® (NEFAR), St. Augustine/ St.Johns County Board of Realtors, National Association of Realtors® (NAR), Florida Association of Realtors® (FAR), and Northeast Florida Regional Multiple Listing Service And St. Augustine/St. Johns (MLS), Shearwater Certified, and Military on the Move Designation.

She provides a unique blend of leadership, sales acumen, project management, technology, and world class customer relation skills to enhance Watson Realty Corporation's values in the real estate sales and mortgage marketplace. She is a decisive take action solution-oriented professional with 25+ years of progressive business experience who efficiently utilizes technology to improve results. She has lived in the St. Augustine/Jacksonville area since 2005 and has seen the area continue to flourish and stays well informed of future growth plans within Northeast Florida.

Let's take a look at the lighter side of Dianne. She loves life is artistic loves music, the arts, yoga and genealogy! She loves to explore and hates to be bored. She loves the outdoors, especially plant life and wildlife. She has been a Master Gardener in Florida and Maine; as a photography enthusiast she has the eye to spot the perfect shot, which spills over to the photos she makes of the properties she markets AND frequently hires the best specialized real estate photographers/drone and videographers who make the difference in the sale. And, she loves to share her knowledge of the local real estate market and all aspects of the process to guide you through each step as a coach rather than a salesperson.

So, let's sum it up. Buying or selling your home is an important life decision. Reasons can vary greatly from change of lifestyle, to relocation or life challenges. You need someone you can trust, count on, respect and help shoulder the stress, anxiety and time commitment involved. Doesn't this sound like someone you want working for you?

So, what's the next step? Contacting Dianne of course. It is all about YOUR needs, goals, timeline and DREAMS! She's here to help you achieve them and she looks forward to hearing from you.

What are you looking for in a Realtor? - Someone who will really listen to your wants and needs? Someone who will expertly market your home until the SOLD sign adorns your front lawn or if you are a buyer tirelessly researches your wish list to find that perfect home? - How about someone who will always be honest, holds ethics in high regard as a realtor, who works aggressively to get you the best price for your home and someone who knows the market?

Selling or buying a home is a partnership with your trusted advisor- Dianne Drinkwater