5 Steps to Making Your Dream Home a Reality

Everyone deserves to live in the home of their dreams, but making that dream a reality can be harder than it sounds. Whether you imagine yourself relaxing in a beach front condo, or roaming the halls of a large country estate, your dream home is out there. When you decide that it’s finally time to take the plunge, consider these tips to help make the process as satisfying as possible.

Organize Your Finances

Whether you’re willing to pay the price for your move-in-ready fantasy, or are ready to put your personal touch into a fixer upper, you’ll need to balance what you want with what you can afford. Go through your finances and check your credit score before you apply for a loan. The industry standard for a down payment is 20%, but remember that the more you pay upfront, the less your monthly mortgage will be. CNN Money tells prospective buyers to build up credit, find professional financial advisors, and consider the quality of the schools in the potential new neighborhood.

Explore the Area

You can change the color of the kitchen cabinets and even knock down walls to make an open floor plan, but you can’t change the location of your home. Do your research, and find a neighborhood where you can see yourself living happily years down the road.

Plan It Out

You’ll have to accept that you may not be able to afford everything, but you can sift through your fantasies and decide what really matters to you. Look through magazines, go online, and take a closer look at what you like about your friends’ homes to trim down your list of must-haves.

Contractors Matter

Finding exactly what you want from the pool of available homes in your neighborhood can be extremely difficult. If you’re determined to not have to compromise on anything on your wish list, you have two options: build a custom home or renovate. Companies like Alair Homes offer both custom homes and major renovations in Huntsville, but regardless of whether you are building a new home or renovating your current one, you'll need to know that your contractor is reliable.

Be Practical

While you’re making your list of must-haves, don’t forget that the functionality of your home will play a big role in your future happiness. Marble countertops and waterfall showers are luxurious, but not having adequate storage space or a decent laundry room will get old fast, and can ultimately change your opinion about your “dream home.”

Your home is where you’ll relax after work, where you’ll spend time with friends, and it’s where you’ll watch your family grow. You don’t compromise on those moments, and you don’t have to compromise on your dream home. These tips can help make your dream and your reality one in the same.