Oftentimes in real estate, we get so swept up in thinking about each individual home that we forget about the bigger picture. But a key component to a successful real estate transaction is ensuring the happiness of each homebuyer, and this happiness is in large part predicated on one thing: the importance of loving where you live. And I don’t just mean loving your home, I mean loving your environment.
What brings this to mind is an article I read today which notes that San Jose is the third-best place to live in the United States. The jobs, the lifestyle, the weather, the income…so many factors work together to make San Jose one of the best cities one could ever choose to live in. Which, of course, goes a long way to explain the high cost of living here…but when it comes to your happiness, isn’t it worth it to splurge?
Just as an example, let’s say you have an amazing job with a great company that you hope to continue working for until retirement. Now let’s say you’re considering buying a home, and you have a couple in mind that you’ve looked at with your Realtor. Naturally, the quality and comfort of the home will be a huge consideration, but what about the bigger picture? If the commute to and from work is significantly different between the two location, how will the longer commute affect you in the long run? How many hours will you sit in slowly crawling traffic until the quality of your life starts to suffer?
These are the sort of questions one must ask themselves when considering a move. A lengthy commute may seem tolerable in the abstract, but if a few months or years down the line you begin to dread it, it can affect the quality of your life in ways that money just can’t cover. The same goes for proximity to family and friends, or entertainment; if you’re too far away from the people and places that bring you joy, a sense of sadness or isolation can creep in. You may have a hard time loving where you live, no matter how great a deal you got on it.
In the end, each individual must decide how much weight to give each aspect of home buying in order to make a decision, but it would be wise to get to know a neighborhood before making a final decision on which home to buy. If you find an area that you fall in love with, it might make you happier in the long run to get a home that requires a bit more work or has a somewhat heftier price tag than some of the other options. Money is a crucial concern, but loving where you live can be absolutely priceless.
Remember, I’m always available as a resource to help you determine what would make you happiest. Email me at ejohal@kw.com and let’s work together to find the combination of factors that will help you love where you live!