Your fantasy home probably includes a pool, a sea view and a terrific outside space for entertaining. Back in the real world, your budget might limit you to a cute little two-bed in a quiet village. You can’t always get what you want, but you stand a better chance of being happy with your purchase if you draw up a realistic wish list and prioritise your preferences.
Your Wish List: Must Haves and Nice to Haves
This is what you need to consider:
- Location: If being close to work is key, then you need to focus on the immediate environs of the office. Or perhaps you want to head to a tranquil part of Malta for some peace and quiet. Scout out the possible locations and delineate your search area on a map.
- Number of bedrooms: If you’re a family of four, less than three bedrooms is unlikely to fly, but a retired couple could make do with two or even one. Figure out what you need and stick to it. You may start out wanting three bedrooms but once you do your homework, you may realise that this is a “nice-to-have” for the very occasional possible guest from abroad and you would be spending valuable money on something that you would rarely get to enjoy or utilise.
- Garage: Petrol heads might want somewhere to store their beloved motor, or you might just want to be sure that you’ll find parking after work. If it’s a priority, then include a garage high on your list.
- Garden or terrace: If having outside space is non-negotiable, then stick to your guns. You might even sacrifice a bedroom for a terrace or a courtyard.
- Type of property: Your heart might be set on a House of Character, but try to stay open minded. Your back up plan might include summer houses or a traditional terraced houses.
- Deal-breakers: it helps to write a list of things that would turn you off a property, so that you can avoid them. This might include being on a busy road or requiring too much maintenance.
The key is to recognise what is non-negotiable and put those requirements at the top… Then have a sliding scale of ‘nice-to-haves’ so that you aren’t overwhelmed by the choice.