When beginning the home buying process, there are a number of items to consider to ensure that you find a home that is the right fit for your needs. As the next step in our 5 Steps to Home Ownership, we want to provide guidance on identifying your wants and needs in a home. We put together a few steps to help you tackle some of the bigger questions that you need to ask yourself when beginning the search for your dream home. With every want and need that you are able to identify, the easier it will be for your Progressive Urban agent to find a home that best fits your checklist. 

1. What type of home are you looking for? Single-family? Duplex? Condo? 
2. Where do you want to live? Is there a particular neighborhood you want to live in?
• For guidance on neighborhoods with homes within your budget, ask your Progressive Urban Real Estate agent!
3. Is there a particular style of home that you want? Ranch? Bungalow? Colonial?
4. How many bedrooms do you need?
5. How many bathrooms do you need?
6. Do you need a yard? Is that a want or a need?
7. Do you need a home with a basement? Or a garage? 
8. Are you interested in a fixer-up? Or maybe a renovated home? Or maybe you are looking for a new construction house. 
• To help make that decision, check out our previous blog posts on the benefits of purchasing a fixer upper or a new construction home. 

Make sure most of these questions have been answered before you start your home buying process to ensure that the homes you are viewing best fit within your criteria. To go the extra mile, consider putting your wants and needs into a Home Buying Checklist. This will help your Progressive Urban agent better determine what wants and needs realistically fit within your budget. Other questions to ask yourself to help identify your wants and needs include: 

1. What do you like and not like about where you live now? 
2. How long do you plan on living in your new home?
3. Are your wants and needs realistic? 
• Not sure if your wants and needs are realistic for your budget, location, etc? Ask your Progressive Urban Real Estate agent!
4. If a home you really like does not meet your needs, can you remodel within your budget to meet those needs?

Asking yourself all of these questions will also make it easier for you to identify absolute deal breakers and will help your agent find you the best fit. Have questions or need guidance with identifying your wants vs. needs? Ask your Realtor! Our agents are not only experts on Cleveland neighborhoods, they are also experts in the home buying process. The Realtors at Progressive Urban are more than happy to help you out.