Sticking to the Plan

So that clifftop house has a fabulous view – but have you stopped to think how you’re going to get the groceries up all those stairs?

And in your ideal family home, should the outdoor entertainment area really lead straight off the TV-room? Wouldn’t it be better for you if it led off the dining room or kitchen so you could still enjoy a quiet Saturday afternoon watching sport on the box while your teenagers had their friends around for a pool party?

Buyers have lots of tough decisions to make when shopping for a new home, but the daunting task can be made much easier by mentally "moving into" a property for a few minutes – not only to visualise where your furniture and belongings would go, but to imagine how you and your family would live there.

The main question to ask is: “Does this floorplan really fit our lifestyle/” If so, you’ll be well on the way to finding the right home.

Conversely, you should not choose a home that will be awkward for your family to live in – even if it has many attractive features – because a bad “match” usually leads very soon to another round of house-hunting and moving, which can be very expensive.

Of course there is no absolute right and wrong. The floorplan that puts one buyer off will suit another very well. For example, a couple with young children will probably want their bedroom within earshot of the children’s rooms, while others may really want a “buffer zone” between them and their teenagers’ sound systems.

Similarly, a compact kitchen may well appeal to a jet-set young executive who spends a lot of time travelling and eats out frequently, but will probably be impractical for those used to entertaining their family and friends at home.

The secret is to stay focused on what would suit you – and never be embarrassed to say that a home you have viewed, lovely as it may be, is not a good fit for your family.

An experienced agent will not be offended because there is “a buyer for every home”, and will very likely have something else to show you that matches your mental picture perfectly.