When it’s time to move, you just know. You look around your current place and see all the flaws where you once saw all the positives, you trip over your stuff because you are so crammed in and you spend all your time daydreaming about what the perfect home would look like.

However much you dread the house hunt, the packing up and the moving day, it is time to get your budget together and figure out how much you can afford to spend on your next property. Think about what you need that your current property doesn’t offer and make a list of everything you are looking for. Do you want a location by the sea? Could you move closer to work to reduce your commute? How many bedrooms does your family really need?

Here are the criteria you need to think about to get your perfect property.

It’s All About Location

Where you live is so much more important than the house you are living in. There are two reasons for this: first, even if you have the perfect house, a long commute or a huge distance to the nearest store is always going to get on your nerves; second, your community will impact every part of your life and feeling safe and happy near friends is priceless.

If you are looking for a particular area but there aren’t any suitable houses, it might be worth looking for a land and house deal. Villa World offers gold coast house and land packages that mean you can choose your location and then put the house of your choice there. This is great for families who are looking to get exactly what they want in the location they want without the hassle of designing your own home with an architect.

There’s Room to Grow

Every property should offer you some room to grow, whether that means building a granny flat in the garden or an addition to the house for a new baby sometime later down the line. Even if you don’t currently have plans for a family, you should always be prepared for whatever could come along. Besides, having room to grow means that you have an option to add value later on.

Given that you are having to move now because your current home isn’t working for you, if you can avoid getting into this situation and having to move again, then you should take that opportunity.

It Falls Within Budget

A critical factor for any purchase is that it falls within your budget. However tempting it might be to blow all your savings on an amazing house, you also need to consider your living costs and the idea that you might like to go on holiday this year. Over budgeting is a good plan as this will mean that you are more likely to have some money left over to do other things like replace the kitchen or bathroom or add a bit more personality.

To work out how much you can afford, you will need to sit down with your accounts and do some math. Start with your income and expenses – this will give you an idea of what your current lifestyle costs and where you could make some savings to put towards your deposit. Getting a deposit together will influence how much you can borrow and is usually around 10% of the asking price. You will also need to pay for stamp duty and set some money aside for any work you would like to do once you have moved in.

You Can Add Your Personal Style

Whether you are after some Hollywood glamour or you prefer a more homely feel, there is no house on Earth that doesn’t need some personality injecting before it can be called home. If you have only lived in rental properties so far, you might not really know what your personal style is yet. The best way to figure it out is to live in your new property for a few weeks before you make any radical changes. This will give you a feel for the space and time to think about what you truly want.

In 2018, there are all sorts of interior design trends that you could be looking at. For example, bright mixed patterns are everywhere, bringing a sense of playfulness to every room. On the other hand, you could go for a minimalist vibe and reduce the amount of stuff you have on show to the bare minimum but achieve a sophisticated glamour too. Whatever your influences are, be bold with your taste and remember that this is your house; there are no wrong answers when it comes to design.

You Can Picture Yourself Being Happy Here

The final criteria for the perfect property is the potential for you to be happy here. This might be the last on the list, but, after all the practicalities, happiness is what holds the most sway over your position. If you look around and know in your gut that something is wrong, it doesn’t matter how perfect the location is or how well it fits with your budget, you should walk away.

House hunting is an art form, and you will only learn what is best for you by going around lots of different properties and weighing the pros and cons. This doesn’t just mean having a brief glance in each room and then moving on, you need to have a good look at all the rooms and consider each at its own value.

As the location is important, you must also scout the area to see if it is right for you. However good it looks on paper, if you go and have a look you can see for yourself that the neighbours are friendly and there isn’t too much noise during the day. This is just as important for your happiness as all the other factors so take your snooping seriously and even ask a few of your potential neighbours for their recommendations.

Happy house hunting!

Amy x