From Basic to Beautiful: Make Any House Your Dream Home
Many people believe their dream or ideal home is way out of reach. It’s as if you’d have to amass a significant amount of money, or be at another stage of life to get it. But the reality is every house you live in can be your dream home.
To make any house a dream home, you have to ditch the temporary mindset. That mindset tells you to wait on making a space truly yours because it’s not “forever,” or not what you imagined in your wildest dreams. But dreaming isn’t always about luxury or the far-off future—it’s about clarity and intention. When you stop treating your current space like a placeholder and start looking at what truly matters you’ll realize that your dream home isn’t out of reach. It actually might already be right in front of you, waiting for you to see its potential.
1. Location, Location, Location
It’s the number one rule in real estate, but it’s often overlooked. A home in a more desired location has a higher value compared to the same exact house in a less desired area. Not just monetarily speaking, but it’s also valuable to what a person intrinsically feels. Think about it. Home is not just the house we live in – it’s also the neighborhood where it sits, the neighbors, the local stores we shop in, the restaurants, the schools our kids go to, and neighborhood programs. It’s the community that supports us, gives us a sense of belonging, and can also empower us. It’s all of these every day things coming together that helps us feel right at home when we’ve been away from it for a while.
To find the right location, you have to immerse yourself in it. Visit the shops and restaurants, talk to the neighbors and people you meet, and ask them what life is like there. They’ll tell you everything you need to know. Also try to drive through the community at different times during the day or week to see how the town ebbs and flows.
2. Layout
The layout of a home can dictate how easy or difficult it is for the people who live inside it to function. If you have young children, for instance, an open floor plan might be more ideal for you to keep an eye on them while you’re in the kitchen cooking dinner. While a house with people in an older demographic may want more walls for a bit more personal space. You may also want to consider a home where the bedrooms are smaller to allow for more space in the common areas where more people are likely to gather. It’s important to envision yourself living there and how you and your family will flow through the home doing the things you do.
3. Square Footage
Gone are the days where everyone is looking for a sprawling, palatial, super sized home. People would much prefer to diversify their expenses and not spend it all on housing. But size still matters, and square footage can get eaten up very quickly. So it would be worth the effort to get a floor plan and measurements of the rooms of the home. That way you can get an idea of how the space will look and function with furniture in place. Cubicasa is a great app that can help you get a floor plan in minutes. If you spend a lot of time outdoors, don’t feel like you need sprawling greens to enjoy nature. A lot can be done with modest space. Ultimately it’s about being realistic with what you need to feel like you’re living in a home that suits you.
Bonus: What Not to Focus On
The worst thing you can do is to judge the home by its cosmetic features. You can upgrade or change details like the wall color, cabinet finish, carpeting, and appliances. But this can cause you to miss a perfect opportunity. Focus primarily on the “large ticket” items like the foundation, roof, and home structure.
Conclusion
Your dream home isn’t some far-off fantasy—it’s a space that works for your life right now. When you focus on what truly matters, you’ll realize the dream is more attainable than you thought. With the right mindset, any home can become the one you’ve always wanted.
