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Old 12-26-2015, 08:48 AM
 
Location: Harbor Springs, Michigan
2,294 posts, read 3,418,664 times
Reputation: 4654

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We moved 3,700 miles back to Michigan to find the rental we had arranged wasn't available. So we put our belongings in storage and moved into the local KOA and started house hunting.

We looked at quite a few homes, some were too big, some where too far from town and some were falling apart. We drove past this house on the way to view another and asked our realtor if he could arrange a viewing which he did the next morning. The moment I walked into this house I knew it was our home. Its 5 minutes from town but far enough out that we have acreage, our neighbours are cows (a farm) on one side and about 1/4 mile away on the other yet we have natural gas and cable.
We have spent quite a bit updating and renovating our home but best of all the price was just right so we don't have a mortgage.
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Old 12-26-2015, 10:09 AM
 
Location: Stuck on the East Coast, hoping to head West
4,640 posts, read 11,904,566 times
Reputation: 9885
Location & safety (tied for first) and schools. Amenities also mattered to me. When I bought my current house we were a young family with a newborn. I totally bought into a neighborhood and lifestyle as opposed to a house.

Our income was in line with what other families earned so I knew our kids could fit in and have the same experiences as their friends. We also checked the % rented. Any neighborhoods with a high % of renters were crossed off the list.

We also researched future plans for the area. We knew, for example, that a huge upscale shopping center was planned. We bought a house that didn't sit on that route (even though those roads were rarely used when we were looking and I LOVED some of the houses that were on that route).

To tell you the truth, the house itself was secondary. I needed a 3 bedroom and 2 bath. I knew I wouldn't have the time or energy to do renovations so I targeted a neighborhood/zip code and bought the best house I could afford in that neighborhood. Dated kitchens didn't bother me at all. Dated roof or electrical in need of upgrade did.
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Old 12-26-2015, 04:00 PM
 
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains
1,912 posts, read 3,217,238 times
Reputation: 3148
My dream house was a fixer upper farmhouse. I knew the minute I saw it from the outside, it took my breath away! Years later I googgled an inn I stayed at as a child and sure enough it was a white clapboard, green tin roof and green shutters...lol...EXACTLY the house I bought 11 years ago. Ahhhhhh....I LOVE this house!!!!
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Old 12-26-2015, 04:04 PM
 
Location: South Park, San Diego
6,109 posts, read 10,853,232 times
Reputation: 12476
After a good or better location was determined within a few core neighborhoods; a well built house with architecture and character, (no tract home, or newer neighborhoods); a functional floor plan; an interesting lot and garden (not just a flat rectangle of grass with a fence around it) and walking distance to basic amenities. After that, the outdated kitchen, bathrooms and dingy carpet (over pristine, quarter sawn white oak floors), ugly curtains and cheap blinds didn't matter so much.

Now, after some remodeling and renovations we've got a fine house with the woods out back, the village out front and the city and sea down the hill. Pretty much a dream come true, even though our place is quite modest in most ways.
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Old 12-28-2015, 07:07 PM
 
Location: The analog world
17,077 posts, read 13,318,841 times
Reputation: 22904
1. Proximity to work
2. School district
3. Neighborhood amenities
3. View of the mountains
5. A price that left room for us to customize it to our tastes
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Old 12-29-2015, 12:33 PM
 
Location: Coastal Georgia
50,178 posts, read 63,636,357 times
Reputation: 92929
Desperation, and a second garage.

We had one week to find a house out of state. We were downsizing and DH was moving a lot of tools. In the south, no garages, or one car garages are common. So when we found a really well kept house, in a pretty neighborhood, with a new kitchen and 2- 2car garages, the house features were kind of secondary.

If we had not had the garage issue, we would have had so many more picky requirements about the house, and so many more options.
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Old 12-29-2015, 05:54 PM
 
Location: here
24,873 posts, read 36,102,689 times
Reputation: 32726
Location first. We never even look outside out target neighborhood(s).

Yard size/orientation second. You can't change that.

Floor plan next. That's important. Including things like closets, garage size, etc.

Decor/fixtures last. They can be changed.
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Old 12-30-2015, 11:05 AM
 
Location: South Park, San Diego
6,109 posts, read 10,853,232 times
Reputation: 12476
Quote:
Originally Posted by gentlearts View Post
Desperation, and a second garage.

We had one week to find a house out of state. We were downsizing and DH was moving a lot of tools. In the south, no garages, or one car garages are common. So when we found a really well kept house, in a pretty neighborhood, with a new kitchen and 2- 2car garages, the house features were kind of secondary.

If we had not had the garage issue, we would have had so many more picky requirements about the house, and so many more options.
When I read this the first thing I thought was, how depressing, the car's needs, (or at least your DH tool space requirements) outweighed the needs of the human occupants in finding a dream house. It seems ultimately that you did find a perfectly good house for you and your husband (for which I'm glad- I enjoy your posts and you seem like a fine person) but sheesh, garages are way down the list- like at the bottom, of important qualities in a house for me. If it's got one that a good thing, but that about as much thought I give to it. Unless I was a car mechanic or collected cars it would never be something I would give a hoot about, and even then the house's qualities for living would be paramount.

I'm sure my mild weather location in a city and neighborhood where I get around fine without a car for much of the time has a lot to do with it. Also, I live in a small house on a small lot in the city so I'm selfish in wanting more space for us and a garden and not giving it up for our cars.

I know I'm in the minority here because having a 3 car garage seems to be way up there in many folk's must haves in a house. Our garage would barely hold a Mini, and even then I think you might have to use the sunroof for egress lol, and our driveway is all of 3' long, the garage door effectively on the sidewalk! But we've got a real sweet and good sized garden because of our dearth of car designated space even on our compact lot- which for us suits us just fine.

I'm glad you got a fine house for you in spite of your DH's requirements (which I don't discount, he has his needs) so the both of you can be happy
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Old 12-30-2015, 01:20 PM
 
5,444 posts, read 6,964,676 times
Reputation: 15147
Quote:
Originally Posted by gentlearts View Post
Desperation, and a second garage.

We had one week to find a house out of state. We were downsizing and DH was moving a lot of tools. In the south, no garages, or one car garages are common. So when we found a really well kept house, in a pretty neighborhood, with a new kitchen and 2- 2car garages, the house features were kind of secondary.

If we had not had the garage issue, we would have had so many more picky requirements about the house, and so many more options.
We noticed this in Florida. Crazy how many houses had decent square footage, nice construction, in-ground pool, and a carport. Seriously, who wants a carport?
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Old 12-30-2015, 01:43 PM
 
Location: Virginia
10,077 posts, read 6,375,305 times
Reputation: 27600
I picked mine 3 years before I ever saw the inside of it because it was old and quirky-looking. My late H and I were actually looking at the house across the street, and I pointed out "my" house from the front window and said "That's the house I'd like!". However, it was much smaller and wouldn't fit both of us. When it went on the market later I bought it because it IS old, has original window and door trim, antique heart pine floors, and is all on one level, which is perfect for my old age.
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