Home buying
Home Buying Wants and Needs Checklist: 7 Steps Before You Tour
Touring homes before you know your must-haves makes every house look possible. Spend 20 minutes on this checklist first; it makes choices faster.
The checklist
- 1. Set your max monthly payment (include property taxes, insurance and any HOA dues, not just the loan payment) and ask a lender about pre-approval.
- 2. Bedrooms and bathrooms you need now, and what you might need in three to five years.
- 3. Places you must reach every day, like work or a gym, and the longest drive you'll accept.
- 4. Must-haves: garage, yard, home office, laundry room, single-level living?
- 5. Nice-to-haves: pool, view, updated kitchen, extra storage.
- 6. Deal-breakers: big repairs you won't take on, HOA rules, a busy road.
- 7. Mark every item as need, want or skip, and share the list with anyone buying with you.
How to use it on tours
- Bring the list and score each home from 1 to 5 on your needs.
- Take one photo of each home's weakest point so you remember it later.
- If a home misses a need, move on, even if it looks beautiful.
Are you a real estate agent?
Share this checklist with your buyers. The Agent Edition makes finished market updates and client content for agents. See samples at theagentedition.com/samples.
General information, not financial or legal advice.