Finding a place to live isn’t about the house, it’s about the potential it has for becoming a home. Make sure you have all of the information you need before making your purchase with our guide to choosing the perfect home.
Determine What You Want
At this point, we’re hoping you’ve done your research on the neighborhoods that best suit your needs, but if you haven’t, check out our previous blog, How to Choose the Right Neighborhood, to determine where you should begin your search for the perfect home.
Once that’s done (or if you don’t have a neighborhood preference), it’s time to make a list of exactly what you would like to see in your dream home. Just like our previous lists, this list should include your must-haves and would-like-to-haves. What is too big or too small in terms of square footage? How many bedrooms and bathrooms are needed? Does he want a big kitchen? Can she not live without the ideal outdoor living area? Do you both want a West Indies style home? Buying a home can be exciting and scary, but getting all of these items down on paper will ensure that you’ll have everything you want and need.
By this time, you’ll also want to establish a price range with which you are comfortable. Will you be paying cash or will you want to finance? Both options will require some discussion and preparation. You will also want to establish how willing you may be to tweak the price range to incorporate everything on your list.
Choose a Floor Plan
The most important thing to consider when choosing a floor plan is whether or not it will fit your lifestyle. Take note of your current floor plan and decide what you like and dislike, then keep adding to the list using the following guide.
Bedrooms
Do you have younger children that you would like to keep close? A home with all of the bedrooms on one side will work for you. If you have older children, a home where the bedrooms are on opposite sides of the house or even on different floors is an ideal option.
Number of Floors
Speaking of different floors, this may be the time to decide whether you want a single-story home or a two-story home. Two-story homes have the luxury of additional privacy with bedrooms typically located on the second floor. Although a matter of personal preference, two-story homes also appear grander from the outside. On the flip side of that, single-story homes have the benefit of not having noise traveling between floors and they also eliminate the need for stairs that may be tiresome and unsafe for young children or elderly family members.
Entertain Much?
Floor plans like the Watlington that have large gathering spaces leading out to an expansive outdoor living area are great if you will be doing a lot of entertaining. The kitchen is located right off the great room and located adjacent is the designated dining area. If you love having people over, a floor plan like this is for you. However, if entertaining is not really your thing and you would rather not have your entire house on display, a floor plan like the Carmela that has a formal dining room upon entering is perfect for quieter gatherings.
Outdoor Spaces
Being a luxury custom home-builder in Naples and Sarasota, London Bay Homes knows a thing or two about creating an exquisite outdoor living space to take advantage of everything our fair weather has to offer. Before deciding on a home, you should think about how important outdoor living is to you. If the thought of lounging by the pool while cooking delicious ribs in your outdoor kitchen sounds like the perfect day, you may want to look into a great outdoor space or courtyard, like the ones in London Bay’s Bianca or Pembrook floor plans. If the sun is an enemy to your fair skin or air conditioning calls to you, spending your budget on some indoor upgrades may be a better option.
Customization
Now that you have all of your wants and needs clearly established, it’s time to hunt for a home-builder and check out all of their floor plans. Most home builders have a decent number of model homes for you to tour as well, so take that tour and see the floor plan after construction. One thing to keep in mind is that you may or may not find a home that has every last item on your list. In this case, ask your home-builder if changes can be made to the floor plan prior to construction. Every London Bay Homes floor plan is highly customizable and our team of architectural and design professionals are ready to guide you through our Private Label Living process to ensure you get your dream home.
