Tips for finding a home that suits your budget and lifestyle

The year is coming to a close again and with it comes something we are almost certain of: increase in rent again. I co-own a home that my family and I built together in our own lot in the North, but my husband and I are renting closer to his family in the South with our dog Lucy.

Finding a home that matches both your budget and lifestyle is something that a lot of couples our age experience, and I know it can feel a bit like you’ve got to juggle lots of ideas at once and that you have to drop something in order to get what you want (or close to it, at least). Although with so many housing options out there, it might actually be easier than we think to keep all those balls up in the air after all. With that in mind, here are some tips for finding a home that suits your budget and lifestyle:

Know Your Budget

Before you start searching for houses, it’s vital that you work out your budget and decide what’s reasonable for you so you don’t end up in financial difficulty and regret buying your new home. Take a look at your income, savings, and future expenses so you know precisely what you’ve got to spend, and then think about how much of that ‘leftover’ money you’re happy to pay out. You don’t really want to spend every penny because there’ll be nothing left for emergencies or fun, and that’s not an ideal way to live. 

Once you’ve got your budget, you’ll find it much easier to search for a home because you can narrow things down and you’ll have fewer options. That might not sound great, but when there are so many homes to choose from, easily creating a shortlist is going to save a lot of time and stress! 

Think About Your Lifestyle

Different home styles offer different things, so think about what matters most to you and that’s another handy way to whittle down the list. Are you someone who needs plenty of room for their hobbies, for example? Do you like a minimalist lifestyle with less to clean and keep tidy? Do you want outdoor space or would you prefer not to worry about it? All these questions and more will give you the results you need to find the home that ticks all the boxes. 

One option to consider that might not have come to mind but that could be ideal would be a mobile home. Take a look at mobile homes for sale and you’ll see that many of them are in communities with shared facilities and amenities so the upkeep isn’t so difficult, and they’re both comfortable and affordable, so they could be just right. 

Explore Neighborhoods

Your home’s location is something that’s sure to have a huge impact on you, so as well as looking for something in budget that’s the right size and has all the right components, you’ll need to consider where the property is as well - it’s not use finding a wonderful property if it’s in a neighborhood you don’t like or that has a bad reputation or that’s far away from where you work and so on. It just doesn’t make sense, and in the end you’ll be unhappy with your choice. 

That’s why it’s a good idea to research and explore all the areas you’re considering before you make any final decisions. Do as much research as you can to find out about the things that matter to you, like public transport, schools, shops, road networks, crime rates, and so on. In that way, you’ll be sure of making the right choice, and with a purchase as large as a property, that’s crucial.