Who said: 'You can't always get what you want'?Yes, it was the great Rolling Stones who immortalised this saying!
And it certainly holds true for buying your first home or even your second piece of real estate - there is no such thing as the 'perfect' property. But what you can do is ensure a property delivers enough of what you want that you're happy to compromise for longer-term capital growth.
Non-negotiables
So, how do you achieve that? By sorting out your property non-negotiables. These vary from person to person but, before you begin your search, be very clear about what matters to you.
Most prospective buyers start with the type of property they're looking for - a house, apartment/unit, townhouse or villa. Then they look at the number of bedrooms and bathrooms they want, along with the style of kitchen, property layout, and so on.
Beyond the basics, other important considerations often include:
- Access to:
- Schools
- Public transport
- Major roads
- Healthcare
- Shopping or entertainment precincts
- Storage
- Privacy
- Good natural light
- Off street parking
- Street appeal
Keep your list relatively short and achievable - while it's good to know what you want, having too many non-negotiables can make your property search impossible. And draw the distinction as to whether features such as a large garden, pool or double garage are essential, or just nice to have.
Finally, try to make sure your non-negotiables are realistic to your budget, as well as the area and type of housing stock you're looking for. If not, consider more affordable neighbouring suburbs. To find the right property for either now or into the future, you must be willing to compromise on something.
