Buying a home is traditionally one of the most expensive and most important decisions you’ll make in your life, so it’s important to take seriously. While travel can help you establish better perspectives and priorities in your search, it’s still just one part of the equation.
In some ways, we’re all looking for our dream homes, but we’re all in different stages of the journey. Shopping for a dream home is stressful, especially at the later stages, in part because you may not know exactly what you want.
There are many strategies that can help you pin down exactly what your priorities are and feel more confident in your dream home purchasing decision. But one of the best options is to travel, as extensively as you can afford, so you can bring an even better mindset to your dream home search.
Let’s look at some of the ways that travel can help you find your dream home.
Unlimited layout and design ideas
In some areas, wood stoves are popular. In other areas, they’re practically nonexistent. In some areas, the houses are small, cramped, and close together. In others, they’re much more spacious, with plenty of free land between them.
As you travel, you’ll become acquainted with practically unlimited layout and design possibilities. You’ll see differences in terms of home shapes, sizes, appliances, yard space, design, and cultural considerations that you may not be able to conceive of if you’ve only ever lived in one area.
This is helpful for several reasons. It can help you figure out what you like and what you don’t like. It can open your mind to possibilities you wouldn’t have otherwise considered. It can give you a better sense of what you can expect when you start shopping for actual houses. It may even force you to consider living in one specific area.
Priorities and perspectives on where to live
Visiting so many places can also help you establish better priorities and earn a better perspective on the best places to live.
For example, you’ll start to see the following in a new light:
· Geography. What kind of geography do you truly like? Growing up, you might have always been fascinated with the mountains, but visiting the mountains may give you a different feeling. Do you want to live near water? Do you want to be surrounded by trees? Would you prefer a dense urban landscape? Traveling helps you figure out what kind of geography you truly resonate with.
· Climate. Similarly, traveling can help you figure out what type of climate is best for you. Do you like it warm and dry all year? Do you prefer areas with dynamic seasonal changes?
· Price. The median home price in Iowa is $239k, while the median home price in California is $799k. That’s a huge spread, with plenty of options in between. In your travels, you’ll likely encounter areas even cheaper and even more expensive than these lower and upper bounds.
· Space. How much space do you really need? If you’re a frequent traveler, and you know you’re going to want to travel in the future, a smaller house may be more appropriate.
· Neighborhood dynamics. In your travels, did you like the dense, busy, social areas? Or the more sparsely populated, quieter, rural areas? Are you interested in spending more money to get access to a safer, more resilient, or fast-growing neighborhood? This can help you figure out the perfect place to live.
· Travel and transportation. Access to travel and transportation may also be a priority for you, especially if you’re going to bounce around the city frequently. Getting a home near a highway or a bus stop could be ideal.
· Access to amenities. You’ll also want to consider access to amenities. In your travels, you’ll figure out what some of your biggest priorities are: do you always want to be close to a body of water or a beach? Do you want to be near a supermarket or a gym? What do you want to surround you?
· Potential for change. Finally, think about the potential for change. The more you travel, the more you’ll see cities in various stages of growth and development. Eventually, you’ll be able to spot the neighborhoods with the most potential for long-term growth.
Comfort and confidence
Travel has the potential to boost your confidence overall. By extension, it also has the power to boost your confidence in shopping for a dream house. As you begin evaluating different options, you’ll feel much more confident knowing what works and doesn’t work for your lifestyle if you’ve had the broader, more diverse experiences associated with travel. You’ll be far less likely to regret your decision and far more likely to enjoy your home once you’re in it.
Buying a home is traditionally one of the most expensive and most important decisions you’ll make in your life, so it’s important to take seriously. While travel can help you establish better perspectives and priorities in your search, it’s still just one part of the equation.
Always do your due diligence, preferably with the help of real estate experts, in this pursuit.
Photo by Binyamin Mellish from Pexels
