But do you need it?
Although having a basement with a pool table may sound appealing, it may not be very practical when you think about the room it will take up.
Feeling like you are a child in a candy store while shopping for a home can create a lot of confusion and chaos when the homes that are chosen end up being way out of your price range. Here are a few common extras that most people can do away with.
1. Heated floors
Cold feet is not fun for anyone, but the price to have heated floors in a home will bring up the price faster than any other item in the home. A person who has heated floors will not be saving that much in the way of gas and water because it requires two water heaters to make it work. The extra costs for two water heaters will make the gas and water bills go up even more. The only real advantages to heated floors is that the water heaters are less noisy and they are transparent enough so that you can see them.
2. Things that can bring value to a home
Pools are a great luxury to have when it is a hot summer day, and it will increase the value of a house during a sell. The only added costs will be for the maintenance and cleaning of the pool, and if the pool is not properly taken care of, it can be an eyesore which will actually decrease the value of a property. Maintaining the pool is all a person has to do in order to keep a great commodity to a new home.
3. Expensive kitchens
Homes can become more expensive when a person makes a decision to buy a home because the kitchen is decked out with brand new modern appliances that bring up the price of a home. Most people are just happy to have a working stove, refrigerator, and dishwasher. As long as the appliances look nice, they shouldn't have to break the bank. While shopping for the perfect home, finding a kitchen with a balance of comfort and beauty will make all the difference in keeping the costs down on a home. Having a nice looking kitchen that has all of the basics without the frills will help you financially in the long run.
4. Game Rooms
Game rooms have a lot of fun aspects to them. Most larger families will have a game room. This will be the place where the family will most likely congregate on weekends to play cards, pinball, or pool. If you are only wanting to buy a house with a game room because it looks great, it could end up costing you more money in the end. If you have a large family, the game room will most likely be the most used room in the house, but if you have a smaller family, it may not get that much use at all. A person will need to decide if this is an added expense on a house that they will enjoy, or if they will end up resenting it. If a game room is the whole reason that you have been wanting to buy a home, then it will be the best reason to buy that particular home. Depending on which rooms you spend most of your time in, those will be the focus points for most people searching for a home. Keeping your expectations to a minimum while you are trying to find the right home to fit your budget will help immensely when deciding what you want and what you can do away with.
Your home should excite you, but allowing it to dictate your lifestyle when searching for a home, could end up costing you. Being rational and flexible with your decisions will help you to feel better about letting go of some of the rooms in a house. Most people spend more time on what is inside of a house instead of what is outside and around it. If a home is in a neighborhood that is filled with gang activity and drug busts, it will not matter how great the house looks inside. Many great homes have been sold because of dubious activities that were unsafe. Keeping your family safe is what most people are looking for in a house.
The Bottom Line
Deciding to forgo owning a home with heated floors, souped up kitchens, and game rooms will not take away from a home. When a person finds the right home for them, they will have made the right choice based on their most basic needs. When it comes to the price of the house, all of the added rooms and luxuries will bring up the price of the house exponentially. Finding a home that has plenty of closet space, a few extra bedrooms, large living room, large bathroom, and a large kitchen can make up for all of the other losses. Especially if the price of the home is much cheaper than the homes with all of the added extras. Homes with swimming pools and activity rooms will cost a lot more than a home with a few larger rooms. Most people are looking for more space. A home that has plenty of cabinet and closet space can be all that it is needed when making their decision. People who came from a smaller home will have different priorities when it comes to space.
