Key Insights
- Choose a location that aligns with your work, social life, and hobbies. Proximity to family, amenities, and public transport can significantly impact your lifestyle.
- Plan your home’s layout based on your present and future needs. Whether it’s family-focused, entertainment-ready, or flexible for changing circumstances, ensure it caters to your lifestyle.
- Consider the property’s orientation for natural light and energy efficiency. Utilise outdoor spaces even on narrow lots, optimising your living experience and making the most of available area.
So you’re thinking of going all-in and committing to your first home? Serious congrats!
But before you do, let’s just take a mo’ to think about what you want and more importantly – need – out of a home.
Look at it like a relationship. If it’s gonna be a long term relationship, you’ve got to be on the same page. And not just the same page right now – all the future pages, too. So let’s get your priorities in order so you know exactly what boxes need ticking before you start the search.
When it comes to property, we’ve put together a list of what other peeps often value to help you suss what’s important to you and help you find The One.
Location (aka lifestyle)
Location is really about LIFESTYLE. Think about how your work and social life will fit into the area you’re considering. How do you want to live? A lot of people want to stay close to family and friends, which makes obvious sense. You want to hang out with your mates on the weekend without having to be on the road for ages, right? And what are you into? Are you a big foodie? Adventure junkie? Think about what you love doing on a weekly basis and which locations are going to support the lifestyle you love.
And how’s the work commute? Definitely an important point to consider. Being close to public transport can make the commute easier, more enjoyable (📳📖) and better for the environment!
Similarly, it’s important to consider the neighbourhood amenities. Yes, the boring stuff like whether there’s grocery shopping nearby, and a servo. And then the more serious points to consider like local schools (if that is in your present, or future).
Location is definitely one of the biggest points to consider and spend time researching. If you are set on some areas you would like to live, take a look at house & land packages for some excellent deals on land!
Layout of the home
More big questions! The number and configuration of rooms can have a huge impact on the way you live now and in the future. That means thinking of the big future things like kids and careers.
Grab a pen and paper and write a list of the things that are most important to you and how you want to live. From regularly entertaining your friends 🥂 to having a home gym or office 💼 to spending breakfast on an alfresco overlooking the garden 🥞, what do you need your home to do for you?
Let’s check out some common floorplan types:
- Family focused floorplans
If some mini-me’s are on the horizon, you’ll need to look at floorplans that cater to families. Here are some family floorplans we are loving right now!
- Entertainer’s floorplans
A floorplan that loves an audience? Look for rear-living plans with spacious open-plan living areas. Check our faves: the Los Angeles, Jersey or the Dallas.
- Flexible and adaptable floorplans
Sometimes we can’t quite work out where life will take us or what we’ll need in the future. If this sounds like you, opt for a flexible floorplan. A great example is our recent design – The Hudson 🏡
The orientation of the property
The orientation of a property (i.e. which way it faces) has a major impact on how comfortable your home environment is year round – and also your wallet! 💸
As a rule, a northern orientation in Perth will ensure your home receives natural light and warmth during winter, while being shielded from excessive heat in the hotter months of the year. Harnessing natural energy to heat and cool your home means you’ll rely less on artificial heating and cooling. Not only does this save you big bucks but it’s much better for the planet. ✌️🌏
Outdoor space
Smaller blocks are fairly typical today. Often these lots are narrow too, with many estates now providing rear laneway access. These rear lane narrow lots mean the garage is located to the rear of the home, as opposed to traditional home designs where the garage and driveway are located to the front. This style of home design is often referred to as a ‘rear loaded’ home and makes the most of available backyard space for outdoor enjoyment. Building a house on a narrow lot rear lane access block of land does not mean you have to compromise on how you live in your new home. In fact, we’ve got some super smart floorplans that optimise smaller blocks so you can comfortably live your best life. Check out our narrow lot home designs.
Deal breakers
Now that you’ve worked out what you value in a home, it’s time to draw some lines in the sand. What are the features your new home HAS to have? The things you won’t compromise on. When it comes to relationships, everyone has deal-breakers. In terms of a home, what are the must-haves vs nice-to-haves?
Write them down! It’s super important to make a list before looking at floorplans and falling in love with one that doesn’t quite match your needs.
Here’s some examples to get you started:
🙅 Deal-breakers like: Must have a backyard for kids & pets or shopper’s entrance direct to kitchen
🤞 Nice-to-haves like: Spare bedrooms or private theatre
Budget
By now, you know what you value in a home, and what you are and aren’t willing to compromise on .. does all of this align with your budget?
We can help you work out the money sitch so you can get started at looking at home designs within your budget.
If you find that your budget isn’t stretching to include your deal-breaker items, don’t worry! This is where we step up. We can get creative with our team of in-house designers and customise floorplans so you achieve total #housegoals. WIN!
Now that you truly know what you need and want out of a new home, it is time to find The One 🎊 Fill out the form below and one of our consultants will be in touch to start the journey.
