in a few short weeks, simon and i will begin our house search. this is super exciting, albeit a little daunting.
in order to keep our wits about us, (mostly me) i've set out the following criteria* for staying focused on the important stuff:
1. is there a working fireplace?
2. can i picture drinking coffee in the kitchen every morning and solving crosswords in the living room at night?
3. is there a backyard that a dog would want to run through?
4. is there a special little nook, or random detail about the house, that is weird and therefore, awesome? :)
5. is there a space for crafting and mess making?
6. is there a guest room or space where my beloved friends and family can stay, and where i can leave them little notes and fresh garden flowers?
7. and last but not least, does the house feel right?
what else am i forgetting? i'd love to hear your ideas and experiences in house hunting.
* we've also got location, cost, age of the house, etc. etc. on the list... but those things are well... boring.
(photo credit: buttons magee)
in order to keep our wits about us, (mostly me) i've set out the following criteria* for staying focused on the important stuff:
1. is there a working fireplace?
2. can i picture drinking coffee in the kitchen every morning and solving crosswords in the living room at night?
3. is there a backyard that a dog would want to run through?
4. is there a special little nook, or random detail about the house, that is weird and therefore, awesome? :)
5. is there a space for crafting and mess making?
6. is there a guest room or space where my beloved friends and family can stay, and where i can leave them little notes and fresh garden flowers?
7. and last but not least, does the house feel right?
what else am i forgetting? i'd love to hear your ideas and experiences in house hunting.
* we've also got location, cost, age of the house, etc. etc. on the list... but those things are well... boring.
(photo credit: buttons magee)
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ReplyDeletenina, so exciting! you have a great list! other important thing: where does the sun set and rise -- and where will you see it from inside? a little sunshine makes all the difference. xo
ReplyDeletea fireplace! a dog!!! crosswords :) sounds lovely! we had a LONG wish list when looking for our flat in toronto, and happily we found a place that fulfilled all our wants! a few things on our list: dishwasher (after handwashing dishes for years, i wanted the convenience of just washing everything once at night), good outdoor space, lots of sun, but not too much glaring straight through the windows into our eyes, low-flow toilets, gorgeous & thoughtful little details (trim, finishes, countertops, etc) and a happy, cozy feel. Good luck with your househunt! enjoy all the fun of picking your future home :) xo!
ReplyDeleteoh yesss! the sun is so important. good one. thanks, natalie.
ReplyDeletei LOVE your list. i can't wait until we get to hunt for our very own home. hope you enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, which way the windows face! In Arizona we get a fair amount of sunshine ;) but I would bet that lots of windows will be even more important for the longer northern winters. And don't be shy about knocking on neighbors' doors and asking how they like the area. Happy house hunting!
ReplyDeleteEstablished trees and garden space so you can spend time outside.
ReplyDeleteSounds like quite the perfect list! I know you guys will find a wonderful home. I'm excited to hear where you end up! There are so many great towns in Maine. I'm partial to Scarborough, which is where my family lives. It's close to the beach, close to Portland, has New England charm to it, and has pretty marshlands. Ah, I love Maine! So happy for you!
ReplyDeleteAhh so exciting! You've hit most of my criteria for the perfect home on the nose, but I also look for a lot of natural light, and a big closet and tub :)
ReplyDeleteWhat an exciting time!! I hope your search is a smooth one. After working for a real estate investor, I'd agree with some of the other ladies: when and where does the house receive sunlight? Another important factor to consider (if you like to entertain) is the traffic pattern of the home. Are there areas that would get congested if you had a party? I have plenty more tips but feel they might be definitely be a bit "boring!" Feel free to send me an e-mail if you want to boring(but useful) stuff! All the best, MademoiselleMichael
ReplyDeletethank you everyone! these are brilliant ideas. xo
ReplyDeleteI love your list!
ReplyDeletePersonally, windows would be on my list. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I've got a think for windows and the way I like them to look. Personally, I LOVE the idea of floor to ceiling, although I've only seen that once when my parents and I were house-hunting, and we didn't buy the house in the end.
And the floors. I'm not a big fan of rugs - if I want a rug somewhere, I'll buy a throw rug and put it there. I love hardwood floors though - the old kind!
Anyway, enough ranting.
Good luck!!!
<3 Kiersten
I recently bought my first home and when I walked it the feeling of YES this is it grabbed me and would not let me go. It was a studio but for right now it was perfect for me. =) Trust your gut and definitely do an inspection before you sign anything!! =) Best wishes!
ReplyDeleteMelanie's Randomness
Happy House Hunting! xxoo :)
ReplyDeleteHow exciting! I think something important to think about it is does the house need work and how much maintenance does the house require. - I am such a logical thinking gal. :) Also is it a place I can grow old in.
ReplyDeleteif you meet all of these criteria, i think you will have found my dream house. good luck with the house hunt!
ReplyDeleteWhen we bought our house I had one thing in mind. Could I imagine having Christmas with my daughter there. At the time I was pregnant and needed to know that my favorite holiday would be enjoyed in the house. When I saw my home, i could see myself baking cookies with my girl, setting up the tree and hanging lights. That made my mind up for me.
ReplyDeletejamie, that's so beautiful...
ReplyDeletei'm all about having a front porch big enough for a porch swing or a couple of rocking chairs... but that's probably the South coming out of me : ) good luck on it all!
ReplyDeletegood luck on the house hunt, Nina! hope you two are enjoying Maine!
ReplyDeleteIn Maine you'll want good neighbours. Ones who will keep an eye out and plow the drive when you are away and since the sun set so early in the winter up north you'll need good lighting or at least lots of outlets to plug funky fixtures into.
ReplyDeleteThat's so exciting Nina! Sounds like you two are living the dream :) Have you started teaching in Maine yet? xx
ReplyDeletethis is a great list, nina! :) i especially love number six, so cute!
ReplyDeleteSo funny, I was just going to mention the Christmas tree thing and see that someone else already did! I love your list Nina, that's great. Marshall and I talk about a house that "will be a place that our kids will want to bring their friends home for Thanksgiving dinner when they are at college". I'm not even sure what the criteria for that house would be, I guess its more of a feeling. Good luck house hunting, can't wait to hear all about it!
ReplyDeleteNina, I cannot wait to hear more about your house hunting plans! I'm so glad you'll fairly close :)
ReplyDeleteMy husband always said, you can change everything about the house except where it is. He made having interesting views from the windows a high priority, and I am glad he insisted on waiting till we found the right place. Another thing I realized was important after buying our house was our location near a good walking/biking trail. Even though neither of us put any importance on this when we were looking, we are incredibly lucky to have landed near a great path.
ReplyDeleteDo you like to cook? Good counterspace where loving recipes can be created. Also, if you do like to cook, I think a gas stove situation is nicer to cook with than an electric one.
ReplyDeleteOne important house aspect for me is wood floors in the main house areas- so homey, comfy, old-fashioned, and clean looking. Just spruce up with colorful area rugs to bring an artistic flair to your flooring (area rugs can be changed easily).
Nina, one more idea... when my hubby & I house-hunted, we knocked on neighbors' doors and introduced ourselves as the couple considering the house on the street. You'd be surprised: Neighbors were more than happy to answer our questions about the community and the neighborhood. What did they love about the area/street/town? What could they tell us about the area/house that the realtor could not? A non-biased perspective outside of the realtor and/or seller of the home...super info to have!
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
My biggest criteria is LIGHT. I can't go without natural light. Especially for picture taking. :)
ReplyDeletehi Nina, I wanted to thank you for your kind encouragement on my blog recently. :) much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteFor house hunting ~ I would recommend trees for woodpecker-watching and seeing dappled morning light, and lots of big windows for all that winter and summer sunshine.
We're starting a search for a house as well, and our criteria is much the same: 'old or different.' I like quirky and I love privacy! Hope you find a treasure.