Our local news reported a list of the most extravagant Celebrity Mansions in the US, and one of them is right down the road in Ocala, Florida. It’s John Travolta’s home located in a fly-in community where he can come and go in his own private jumbo jet. The 6,400 square foot, $2.5 million home resembling a mini air-control tower is designed so the actor's Gulfstream and Boeing 707B can taxi right up to two outbuildings connected to the house. Wow, some digs, and they are extravagant, but not many of us are shopping with these requirements in mind. We have so many great homes available here in our Clay County communities that it can seem overwhelming, and touring through hundreds of homes throughout Fleming Island, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, and Orange Park can leave you so drained, you may just overlook your ideal home.
Lifestyle and Price: How to choose your home. A good place to start is with lifestyle and price. Your own important lifestyle traits will help define a list of priority features your ideal home will possess. While it is somewhat subjective, it is important to develop this list of important things about your lifestyle and which home features will respond well to your requirements. How to start? What are the most prominent and important activities in your life? Start with your job. Do you mind commuting, prefer public transportation, or want to live close to where you work? Do you like the quiet, or access to amenities, or is it the hubbub of shopping, proximity to parks, trails, and green spaces that’s makes you smile? If shopping for a family, what about the kids’ activities? Do you want to be in a specific school zone, close to family activities and sports opportunities? Each of these factors will help with focusing in on the ideal location.
Now let’s move inside your home. Do you want plenty of room for entertaining a crowd, or a perfect place for the family to sprawl out over pizza and movies, board games and popcorn, crafts and coffee? Do you want separate spaces for the kids to go hang out, or have a dedicated home office, studio, or den? Are you a gardener, a chef, an art collector, or a hobbyist? Do you like to spend your time be indoors or outdoors; do you like being a part of close-knit neighborhood, or strolling through expansive grounds? Each of these lifestyle choices will drive choosing your ideal floor plan and lot or yard style. When you talk with your Realtor, he or she will interview you to learn where your preferences lie individually and as a family to help you focus on the right homes so you aren’t on a mega tour of misses, and you are sure to find just the right home. They are a wealth of knowledge about not only the homes for sale, but the communities and important features.
Know Your Price: To help identify which homes fit your needs you must know the price range to shop in. This is a straight forward process once you identify your preferred lender. When you apply your provided financial information will drive the amount you can borrow for your ideal home. This takes the guesswork out of your home shopping process and lets you focus on those features that will make a house a home for you.
Now that you have a list of priority features for your next home, along with the amount you’ll spend to obtain it, you’re ready to buy your home. What are you waiting for?
What are your favorite home features, current and future?
