- Be clear about why you’re buying a home. Every large [[Making Decisions|decision]] you have to make about home ownership should somewhat tie in to this.
- Look at houses based on the life style you have not the life style you aspire to have.
- Balance commuting against other goods and costs (Commuting Paradox).
- The availability heuristic says that people over count scenarios that are easy and vivid to imagine, and under count scenarios that don’t involve any readily available examples or mental images. The real estate version of this fallacy involves exciting opportunities that you will rarely or never use. For example, a house with a pool may bring to mind the opportunity to hold pool parties. But most such plans will probably fall victim to akrasia, and even if they don’t, how often can one person throw pool parties without exhausting their friends’ interest? Pool parties may be fun to imagine, but they’ll probably only affect a few hours every couple of months. Other factors, like the commuting distance and whether your children end up in a nice school, may affect several hours every day.
- Good illumination (daylight has a strong effect on mood) and a view of natural beauty (nature increases mental functioning and concentration) aren’t just pleasant luxuries, but can make important practical differences in your [[Health]]. Light and plants make a difference.
- Aim for a small sunny place in the winter!
- Aim for a place where you can set up a fire. Humans have spent most of their history around fire sharing stories.
- Research nearby future facilities. Schools, shopping malls, coffee shops, transportation, …
- Check the electrical and water installations of the building.
- Treat it as a [[Finances|finance]] asset. Think for how much it’ll sell.
- Aim for the minimum links with the bank.