Home Design

What Type of Home is Perfect For You?

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Everyone has a dream home. It’s the home that you imagined as a child, drawing it over and over again the back of your notebook, and as time went on, more features added to the house. You included a swimming pool out back. You put a slide from your bedroom to the living room sofa. Eventually, you included a rollercoaster in the attic.

Now you’re older you realize that this dream house isn’t viable. But instead of feeling down that you will never get the original home of your dreams, you can instead consider what your dream home is now. Like many things in life, our idea of what makes the perfect house changes at different stages of our lives, so while you may not want a rollercoaster anymore (or have been told you’re not allowed it, anyway), there is still a way to find the perfect home for you. 

Regardless of what stage you’re at in life, here are a few ideas about what type of home is perfect for you. 

For Families

Families need space, whether you’re a family of three (plus a cat and dog) or a family of five, six, seven, or even eight. When scouring the listings for sale online or in your local newspaper (because people still read them right?), it’s essential to consider if you can see your family in this home, rather than just yourself. 

When searching for a family home, get input from everybody. Think about who your family is and what they like. If they love to play outdoors, a large backyard is essential. If they prefer to play video games or sit and read, write, or draw, then a spare room for them is crucial. 

You can also make sure it’s close to schools, sports centers, parks, and anything else that will give you and them something to do on lazy summer weekends. 

For Young Couples

It’s always exciting when young couples find a home, whether it’s their first home or one that is the first step in ‘growing up.’ Typically, these homes are close to the city, because while you might be growing up, you still want to feel close to the metropolitan lifestyle, so plenty of bars, restaurants and fun things to do are essential. 

These houses don’t need to be too large, and most of the time, a cramped, pokey townhouse is the perfect blend of charm and quirkiness that is perfect for young couples and professionals finding their way in the world. 

Easy access to public transport is also a must, and even though it’s not a lot of use driving in the city, a dedicated car park can be useful for when you want to get away for the weekend without relying on trains or buses. 

For Older Couples

For older couples whose children have finally flown the nest, it might be time to think about downsizing. This can be a difficult decision, but it’s likely your kids will have more problems with it than you will. You’re leaving their childhood home, after all. 

Finding a home with less space inside more perhaps more outside, such as a large front and backyard for you to enjoy your retirement. If you’re getting on in years and are starting to feel the aches and pains of age, perhaps you don’t need stairs, so bungalows are ideal. 

You may still need spare rooms, though, for when your family comes to stay, and hopefully, you can find a cozy place far away from the city with rolling hills and meadows in every direction. 

For Singles

It’s not common for singles to purchase homes themselves, but it happens. Sometimes, it happens without them meaning for it to happen, such as following a break up after buying the house. There’s not a lot you can do after this, so you may as well make the most of it. 

Singles don’t need a lot of space. There’s only one person there, but they also don’t want to feel too cramped. They might wonder if buying a house all for themselves is right. Is it selfish? Maybe, but if you are financially independent enough, then who has any right to stop you? 

Buying a property as a single helps lay the groundwork for your future, and as long as you use the space intelligently, you’ll have a fantastic place that is already your own when you start thinking about the future. 

For Your Relatives

If you’re lucky enough to get into a position where you can afford a home for someone else and not just yourself, it will likely be a relative. This could be your kids starting their first home with their partner or your parents who want to move closer to you to see their grandchildren grow up.

It’s hard to know what kind of home is the perfect home for them when there are so many factors involved, and you know your family better than us, so we can’t even comment on that. 

You can use what you know about your family and their needs to find the ideal home for them, though, and if you’re not entirely sure which is best, it might be useful to get their input or work with a real estate agent too. 

For Some Extra Income

Owning multiple properties is something that will help you earn extra income on the side. These properties are often holiday homes or are in popular parts of the country (or the world), so it’s crucial to pick your location carefully. 

People want to travel somewhere they can relax or have fun, and usually, they’d prefer a location that gives them a bit of both. Purchasing a property to earn extra income can be a risk, so you need to do your research and make sure that you can recoup the initial cost through rentals. 

You’ll also need to make it attractive for whoever stays there, and you can do this by finding a theme and sticking to it. If it’s a beach house, then soft, relaxing colors are ideal. However, for properties closer to the city, you’ll need to think about easy access to the most appealing places around there and provide a sleek modern feel for your guests. 

These aren’t the only type of properties, of course, and you could just as easily purchase a mountainside cabin, which will demand rustic decor and a calming atmosphere to match the relaxing feel of the surrounding area. 

For Your First Home

Everyone has different needs for a first home depending on what they want to do with that home. Will it not just be your first home but also your last? Are you hoping to start a family in this home, or do you and your partner want to enjoy a few years of independence before the reality of real-life finally hits. 

This first home is the chance to find out what you love and what you don’t love. It’s a chance to experiment with style and design. You won’t get everything right, but you’re not expected to.

And finding the perfect first home can be stressful; you don’t know what you want, so take your time to think about it, discuss it with your partner, and don’t rush into anything. 

The Dream House

Everyone has a different idea of what their dream home is, and even if you fit into one or two of these categories, they might not apply to you. However, understanding the most important features of a home to look for when you’re searching at any age will help you make a decision you can feel confident about and start making memories in your home all over again. 

 

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Marc Wilson is the Guest Lifestyle Editor of Social Life Magazine, a 2013 Big Apple Award nominee and the Founder and Creative Director of MWD Lifestyles (formerly Marc Wilson Design) and Weddings by MWD Lifestyles. Marc’s company is a full scale wedding, event design, production and planning company with destination partnerships and capabilities and has grown to be the name in the decor and events, weddings and destination industry it is today. Marc’s fifteen years within the events industry has resulted in national and international recognition and, to date, MWD Lifestyles has worked with Rolex, Hugo Boss, Martha Stewart Weddings and MGM Metro Goldwyn Mayer. Marc’s work has been published in Grace Ormond Wedding Style, Design Bureau, New York Weddings, Manhattan, Essence, Weddings by Design, The Knot, Brides and Town&Country. Instagram@mwdlifestyles

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