Prioritize Real Estate “Must Haves” To Ease Your Home Search

Posted By: David P. Veo

With over 150 condominium units available in the North End and Waterfront, searching for the perfect home can be very time consuming.  One way to narrow your search is to do your homework up front.

Focusing in on where you want to live, what neighborhood in the city, should be your first priority.  Once you have established where, determine your price range, then consider making a list, and prioritize the criteria for your ideal unit.

When inquiring about a property or working with a real estate consultant, be sure to share this list with them to save you the time of trekking to units that just will not work for you.  Think about what you are looking for in a building, in addition to the unit, because although you can renovate your unit, you cannot alter the building.  Here are some ideas to get you started.

1.  Do you want a full service building with a concierge, or will a building with a simple security buzzer system work for you?

2.  Do you want a pet friendly building, or are you deathly allergic to dogs and want to be sure you won’t run into one in the lobby?

3.  Is private outdoor space a priority; a common roofdeck; or no outside space at all.

4.  Do you need an elevator?  If not, how many flights of stairs are you willing to climb?

5.  Unit placement in the building is also an important consideration.

6.  Are you willing to renovate or make upgrades to a unit, or would you prefer that be done for you.

7.  Consider the list of unit amenities that you cannot live without:  air conditioning, hardwood floors, large closets, additional storage space.

Keep in mind, the “Ideal” unit in the “Perfect” building may not exist in your price point.  However, by knowing what is important to you, the list of available properties can more easily be narrowed to fit your needs.

You can use our Keyword Search Tool in the ‘Advanced Search Options’ under the MLS Property Search on our website to help you narrow down your selection.  Search for ‘pet friendly’ or ‘roof deck’ or ‘concierge’, whatever amenity you’re interested in.  You can even save your favorite listings or search criteria if you sign up for a free user account!