What are you looking for in a new home?

Is it time to start looking for that new home? You know it is but do you know what is it that you are looking for in a new home? What is missing in your existing home?  For example what kind of back yard, what kind of  property would like to have with your next home?

Recently one of my clients said, "I love my house but I simply wish I had a larger garden, I would like room for a pond and an area for my herbs, and who knows maybe even a vegetable garden, but I still would like to the have at least the same grass area I have now, for my dog to run.

I frequently hear this, " I bought the house in the winter, and I was not thinking of what I wanted to see in the summer. I need a large backyard in my next property."

"The kids need a backyard, a place for them to play."  Some time it is more like this: " We would like an outside area, somewhere we can chill and where we can have meals outdoors during the nice weather" Although some times the reasons are a little more rich and they may really need some serious space, specially when we hear things like:    "Our new place will have to have room for a skating ring", most times they do not need all that room.

Although some time people may really need some serious space for that pool, trampoline, dog run or tennis courts, often those who want a large back yard usually are overestimating the space they will need. 

Although many would like to have an outdoor space, most generally assume that they will need a larger property than what they really need. 

Perhaps they do not have any outdoor space now and they just want an area that is private and comfortable to have drinks outside on warm summer evenings, or to entertain friends, or it might just be to eat their dinners out or have their coffees in the morning on warm summer mornings, or may be just a place to grow their herbs. Perhaps a deck is all they really need. 

I believe that as an agent, I need to ask the right questions in order to get to know what  a client's real needs are. This is not out of curiosity but it is prerequisite to understand the needs of the clients in order to guide them in the right direction. Probing questions,  are necessary in order to determine a client's needs. This is an important skill and a service that I think I should provide for my clients. 

Sometimes people know they want some outside space in their new home but they have not thought it through and may have overestimated what kind of area they may really require for their new home.  All they may need in order to set that small table may be a small space.

Having a conversation with my clients and asking the right questions always helps me provide a better service. Enhance my knowledge of my client's needs allows me to help them properly. Knowing your needs will allow me to find that special property that you have been looking for.