How to Buy Your First Million-Dollar Home
Buying your first million-dollar home is a big step. Sure, you have owned a home or two in the past, but now it is time to take that leap into the land of the living. How should you approach the search for your new home? Where do you want to live? What kind of amenities do you want? There are so many questions to ask yourself and your Realtor. Let's take a stroll through some of the options commonly considered.
Location
Beach, Golf Course, Countryside - Those are the top three answers when asked where people want to live. Either they want to be next to the ocean, in a prestigious neighborhood, or somewhere with a lot of land. But what are some other areas that may not be on the forefront of your mind?
- Historical Location - Are you a history buff that also likes the ocean? A place like Charleston, South Carolina might interest you, surrounded by fragmented remains of the Revolutionary War. Or perhaps Maui, Hawaii where Mother Nature did more damage than people, with her thousand-foot spew of molten lava.
- Mountains - Living in the mountains gives you the peace of the countryside with the elevation and view of a luxury high-rise.
- Metropolis - The houses right in the middle of downtown Anywhere, USA are going to be the pinnacle of hustle and bustle city life.
Amenities
Many people look for either a pool or workout facility that is close when choosing a home, but there are other types of conveniences to consider. Do you prefer the quite and calm feel of a small town with a local coffee shop where everyone knows your name? Or would you want to be walking distance from the 18th green at the Kapalua Resort, which hosts the PGA Tour's first event every January, the Mercedes Championship?
Some additional questions to ask when considering amenities are:
- What are your favorite activities? Is it important to live close to them or do you normally participate after work?
- If you are still working, how long would your commute be, and does that make a difference to you?
- Do you need to be close to an interstate or a major road?
- Is a sense of community important to you? (i.e. block parties, close neighbors and social gatherings)
With all of these choices of amenities to make, be considerable that sometimes, more selection makes for worse opportunities. Unless you eat out every night, do you really need to have 15 different types of restaurants close by? While it is important to consider all of your options, it is also important to choose the right options and set priorities.
Style
Are you really looking at that house because you think that is the only style million dollar homes come in? There are tons of different styles other than the classic Victorian, Ranch or Prairie style you probably grew up in. Here are a few different styles that you might not know about, but will probably find more interesting than that elongated cube you call a house.
- Tidewater Homes - These are very well known in the southern United States and can be picked out due to their style of porch that wraps around the entire house like a great big hug.
- Gothic Revival Homes - These stone monstrosities have amazing lines, pointed windows, pinnacles and grouped chimneys, just like in the Mary Poppins movie, for those who are familiar.
- Romanesque Revival - Towering homes with broad Roman arches, cone shaped roofs and patterned masonry, these houses are built to stand up in any condition.
Take a gander at houses that are out of the ordinary, you might be surprised by what sparks your interest. Keeping your style options open also adds more real estate for you to choose from.
Do not let your past drive your decision for you on where you should live, where you grew up, old college town or a big name city. Make an informed decision and consider all of the different options you can have. After all, you are spending a million dollars on a home and why not make it exactly what you have always wanted.
Understand what matters most to you and ask questions. It is your turn to buy your dream house. So, whether your kid's school is the most important deciding factor or getting away from suburbia, choose wisely. If all else fails, consider moving to Maui and you could have just about everything within a 30-minute drive. Forget everything you just read! Welcome to Paradise.
About the Author:
Volker Weiss - Maui Realtor(R/S) specialist focusing on Kanani Wailea. Make your vacation last forever, check out Wailea Real Estate. For immediate help call: VW Real Estate - 2525 Omiko Place, Kihei, HI 96753 - (888) 572-6888
Article Marketing
3 people like this article
