It’s easy to dream about the ideal house, harder to describe that home to a realtor. But, you’ve got to know the details that make up your dream home if you expect to find that perfect place. Identifying the details of your dream home may take a bit of work, but you don’t have to do it alone. If you have a partner and children, definitely get their input. Work to ensure that everyone who’s going to live in the house gets amenities and style elements that they want. Also, factor in your favorite colors, textures and personal aspirations when thinking about your dream home, including where the house is located. If you love surfing, swimming and fishing, a country home near the beach might be the right choice. Ask yourself questions to find out what you really want Do you want to live in a small town, the type of place where traffic jams rarely, if ever, form? Is access to reliable public transportation important to you, especially if you prefer not to drive? Are older homes more to your liking than modern, contemporary houses? And what about arts and entertainment? How important is it for you to be near major sports and concert venues? You can gain clues about your dream home when you visit extended family and friends. You may love the open living room, dining room and kitchen concept at a friend’s single family home. The round, marble tub at your grandparents’ house might give you a warm feeling every time you soak in it. Don’t rule out how carefree, courageous and happy you felt as you ran across the back lawn at your aunt and uncle’s three story bungalow. After you narrow down the location, size and type of house that you want, start to create a wish list of amenities that you want your dream home to have. Sample items that you could add to your wish list include whether you want a front and back porch, small or large yards and whether you want a home office and, if so, how big do you want the home office to be. Other wish list items are window styles, how much street noise you’ll tolerate, numbers and sizes of bedrooms, whether you want a finished basement and how many cars you want to fit in the driveway and garage. You may also want a dream home that’s only a 10 minute drive to work. If you identify features that you want in your dream home before you consider how much you can afford to pay for a house, you might be surprised at your options. By focusing on features or amenities, you could also help your realtor to look for a house that fits your wish list instead of zoning in on a house based mainly on price. Stay open. Finding eight out of ten things that you want on your dream home list could prove to be very rewarding.]]>