If you don’t live in Levittown then the good news is that there are a number of choices available to you for choosing a home that will fit your present and future needs and wants. If you are a pathologically indecisive person then the good news is that Levittown exists; it’s in New York, look it up here. Joking aside, choosing a home that suits your needs and wants presently and in the future is not an easy decision to make. Whatever your personal situation, you will probably want to create a checklist of negotiable and non-negotiable features you would like to see in your home. Here are some things to keep in mind when composing such a checklist:

• Location: close to work or is commuting okay? If you have kids how important is the house’s proximity to their school? Is an urban or a rural environment preferable? The old real estate adage “location, location, location” is not entirely facetious. Locale truly brings all of the essential elements of homeownership together: what location will get you the best return on your investment? What location will best suit your needs and wants over the next 5, 10, 20 years? Where will you be able to best cultivate the life you would like for you and your family?
• Size (and Shape) Matters: houses aren’t the most malleable structures, so choosing the right amount of square-footage is obviously important. But even if the square-footage is adequate, the layout and/or architecture may be undesirable. You will have to decide what number of bedrooms and bathrooms is right for you and your family. Again, because this is a long-term investment, try to account for the changes that may be in store for you in the future. Is the home in an area in which you could easily add an addition if needed? Do you have the financial wherewithal to add a bathroom if need be? There are also a great many different types of home. Is a single-family detached preferable or a duplex? Semi-detached or townhouse? There are no set rules for finding a home that is compatible with your needs, so take your time in investigating what your best options are.
• Special Features: here’s where the negotiable and non-negotiable features on your checklist really begins to fluctuate. Is central air a necessity? Do you require a lot of storage space? Is a home office or hobby space a necessity? What about yard size or a swimming pool? These are all factors that can play a major or minor role in deciding whether or not to purchase a home.