What Does "Home" Mean to You?

When working with new Buyers or folks who are upsizing or downsizing, I like to ask them this: What does “ Home “ mean to you?

As a young girl, I was always fascinated by different peoples’ homes, the features of their homes, what about their homes made them happy, and how they lived in their home .  

As a Realtor, that always comes to mind when I am searching for that perfect home for my Buyers. Having said that, here are some of the things I recommend to begin with as you venture into purchasing a home:

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1. When you see yourself in a home, what do you see; i.e. sitting in front of the fireplace, playing softball in your backyard, taking evening strolls into town, having friends and family join you cooking on Thanksgiving day…what does that picture look like?

2. There are homes everywhere, but what is the lifestyle you see for yourself? Is it a more urban area, close to downtown, does the lifestyle include many eateries, theaters, parks, or perhaps a bit of land for your garden? I believe choosing a lifestyle is just as important as picking the style of home you would like to see yourself in.

3. Be open to researching and visiting homes that may be a little outside the box for you. In my years of experience, more often than not, buyers surprise themselves by purchasing homes that were never on their have-to list originally. When showing homes, I like to throw in an outlier (if the buyers allow.) It is always rewarding to me to see a Buyer’s face light up as they walk into a house and feel the connection with that house.

4. Lastly - also something I share with my buyers - in this very high tech world, the Internet is a  great place to start your initial home search…however, nothing takes the place of boots on the ground; walking through a home and feeling and having that experience.

Home means different things to all of us, and sometimes that cannot be put into words. Doing the homework, experiencing the home, and thinking about your future life experiences in that home will guide you to your perfect home! - Anastasia Kamper