My only must have has always been walk ability. I need to be able to walk to a market, restaurants, beach, marinas, concerts on the green, library, post office, children's school and train station. On the beach would be nice if it meant I were still close to those other amenities.I like to live like I am on holiday. No suburb big acreage for me ever! I really hate driving... My 2007 car has under 40 k on it and that includes biannual trips to Canada from connecticut and frequent DC family visits...

Segueing off IdaClaire's post, we just built a house for the first time, the 3rd house for us and having the opportunity to design it with an architect and choose every aspect (of course with budget constraints) feels extravagant and indulgent. I truly love our house but on a daily basis there is some piece of world news that has me questioning our fortunate circumstance.

We had a must-have list while looking at property and existing homes - city water, city sewer, natural gas, paved road. We now have a well, septic, all electric and live on a gravel road - go figure. The other must-haves were privacy (not isolation), close/easy access to town and daily needs, space (as in acreage), single level living, a big porch, (preferably with a view) and room for visiting family/friends. Managed to check off all of those. Rooms are sized and placed right for us, BIG windows take advantage of views in all social areas and bedrooms have nice but lesser views.

Much as I love this house and how we designed it to fit us, there was a different kind of joy I experienced in our old homes as we adjusted to them and their quirks.

Good school system. Then, a house we could afford. So, unlike many of the people here, I really never liked my house. However, you can't beat its location and that it has quadrupled in value since we bought it.

Oldest was in a private kindergarten, so I felt the rush to find something. In hindsight, we should have explored more. But, Dh worked in the city at the time, we had a second upstate home so we tried to find something that would work for the lifestyle we had then.

The positives: When we bought this home, I loved that it was on a third of an acre, with woods behind us. I did not want to look into someone's window while I was at my kitchen sink.

It is a small house and I thought that it would be a good home for just the two of us after we raised our two daughters. And, it is more than adequate.

But, it sounds like you are building a home. Have you also posted on Building a Home forum? They will have great ideas.

Privacy, no close neighbors, I like to see the stars at night and hear the crickets, and walk around in my nightie when I want in the morning with my coffee.

Big windows, fireplace, high ceilings, sky lights, laundry room, attached garage, no carpets, big closets.

Reading some of the comments makes me realize the biggest must have (unless you are single) is having a partner who wants you to be as happy with your home as s/he is - no telling me he must have this, while I must give up (with no real choice) things that would make me happy or my life easier in my home. So, an equal partner, not someone who controls the wallet and has veto power.

I could live in many different styles of homes and make do with most things, but my primary must have, (like others have said) is location, location, location. #1= end of a dead end road so there is no traffic. #2=Trees, forest, wildlife, or at least trees and enough privacy that I don't need window coverings. And to have those things in my area, I've had to give up, at least in my present home, decent internet - cable is not available here, too many trees for satellite, so I make do, with lots and lots of whining, about the terrible access I have.

I've yet to move in to my "perfect" home (and the one we close on this week still isn't perfect), but every time I've discovered a new must have, although my needs list isn't large.

My first house, my wants were pretty simple--dishwasher and central air. I grew up without both and never want to go without again.

As my family grew, 2+ bathrooms and a separate space for the kids and all their games, toys, etc.

Now that I have a teen, tween, and infant, my number one was good schools, a quiet street where they can ride bikes and play, and a front entry closet, as I'm tired of tripping over bookbags and shoes for five when I walk in the house.

We're in the process of trading a couple hundred square feet of living space for the best school district in the state, but I'm getting my entry closet and nice street, so I'm ok with my end of the bargain. We'll look for perfect in a few years.

A lot has to do with your ages, your family circumstances and your choices for your comfort. And that's only the beginning. We've built 3 homes in our married life, we've owned more and did remodels but from scratch it's been 3. One in the NE and 2 here in the deep south. Many, many things to consider. And finding the perfect lot is also important.

I'm even more contrarian than IdaClaire, to the point that I almost didn't respond. What are my must haves? It definitely needs at least one bathroom. A kitchen. Enough room for 2 people to sleep. Structurally safe.

I own my own home, but I never shopped for a house (was renting from my MIL and ended up buying the house from her). Before that I rented a room from someone, before that I lived in a university-owned apartment, before that I rented an apartment, then we're back to college dorms and living with my parents. All of my living situations were different, and all of them were "fine", even the communal bathroom/no kitchen dorm situation. So I guess I don't really believe in "must-haves" beyond the bare minimum.

What a fun topic. I could write a book on this subject, having recently purchased two houses. Perhaps more important than having bought properties recently, has been our inability to buy anything for a long time. We spent over a decade looking and making lists, both for buying a whole house and for designing one. Here is our short list:

Location:

Great walkability for shopping and playing. Close to or in a big city.

Good access (30 mins. max) to cultural centers- museums- opera house- etc.

Architecture:

Classical proportions, no weird fake stuff, boxy rooms with good volumes.

Wall space for hanging art. Semi open or closed floor plan.

Good flow between rooms.

Specific rooms:

Large dining room- minimum seating for 12 (we have four children).

A decent sized library (we have over 15,000 books in our collection.)

A media/play room for video games, tv/film watching and have a fusball and pool table. This is preferable to a home theater to us, by far.

A garage to turn into a studio for a pottery kiln, a painting area, two 3-D printers and a small woodworking station.

April- can you tell me about your Spanish wall system please?

Privacy was important for us (acreage).

If you have shutters, make sure they're proportionate to the windows. Big windows. Good architecture. Don't just build a house without really putting thought into it. Without the architecture/windows it doesn't seem to matter what items are in the space....it just doesn't look the same as those other photos you may really like. If you go for smaller, which is totally fine, still consider the windows, larger base moulding, ceilings, crown, etc.

Put the same hardwood throughout the house for even visual continuation except for bathrooms and maybe laundry room. My house looks like a patchwork quilt and I can't wait to correct this.

Good kitchen layout.

Fireplace and built ins.

Save trendy for things that can be easily changed.

ETA - Storage space. We have a large, full standing, open a door and walk up stairs type attic. Good closet organization. We have good closet space but our master, while it doesn't need to be larger, does need a better closet system.

No open concept for me.

Wouldn't be without our four ceiling fans.

Laundry room on main floor.

If you are building a house in which you intend to live for a long time then I would say to plan something you can afford now but allow a design which can be easily added onto in the future. If you can't afford the extra bedrooms, living areas, outdoor areas now, think where they could go in the future. A huge kitchen is expensive but if you allow the space for it now but only fit out part of it, you can do the entire plan in the future and it will be a lot cheaper not having to remove walls and change plumbing, electrics. The same applies to bathrooms - you can provide space and plumb in several bathrooms but only finish what is needed now and finish the rest later. Most people when building only think of the present but if you can l spend a bit of time thinking about the big picture and what you might need over a longer period of time you will save money down the track. Even if you don't intend staying in the house forever, any prospective buyer will be more attracted by a house which is easy to extend.

Rita. oh. that was/is this kind of modular thing, which you can piece together. elements that you like..as many as you like..closed storage, open storage..I felt in love when I saw it in neighbours' condo. I asked for the name of the store..which I don't remember since it was in 1999 I think lol..we went there..I loved that you could choose rounded elements..choose to combine colors..ours for example was cherry plus cream. We had this rounded console with drawers, two shelves, smaller tower with glass, bigger with no glass..very versatile because when you move(and we did move) you can play with it..my ex now has it in totally different configuration than it was.

it was very very expensive to me then, 8000 NIS I think? given we couldn't afford a car for example..high tech boom allowed my then-husband to have a car leased by his company..

there's one store here -i really love their wall systems. of course much more expensive now..would be same but in dollars..very easily more if bigger

i like theirs since they incorporate color plus stain too

you might have seen them Rita. I need to go to my Pinterest since their name escapes me now..I think it starts with "M" which is not very helpful..

i'm also not sure how modular theirs are

Roche Bobois used to have something mind blowing

well..after some sobbing and reassuranse from DH that I'll get Roche Bobois if I really want to, I went on Craigslist lol, and that's how my decorating journey started

but we did custom ordered the shelves

• Enough outlets in the bathrooms
• Outlet by toilet for new toilet features
• Walk In Pantry
• Tricked out closets
• Careful planning of window in the home to ensure privacy without having to purchase a lot of land.
• Enough natural light in home
• Exterior Outlets for electric accessories
• Outlets at windows for motorized window covering options
• Energy saving windows, roof, etc.
• Solar Energy option on roof
• Good quality water
• Be careful with the 'massing' of the home design so you are not paying for acres of roof and attic.

People can live in a lot less space than they think they can, but it requires good organization. That's what missing in most homes. Unfortunately, most spec builders seek to build as much sq footage as possible on little lots and that creates too much neighborhood density.

I would hate to live in a house without a fireplace. It can be wood burning or gas, but not electric. That, and built in bookcases were what I missed the most during the 10 yrs we spent in a boarding school faculty dorm apt. If we hadn't still had our house in KY, it would have been even harder.

I like well-separated space - no open concept for me! I like halls, doors - even a very small space can allow privacy if well planned with good separation of space. When I look at all these new house plans posted here, I feel claustrophobic even when the houses are far larger than mine.

I need a basement and a garage - an attic is nice, too. I need a small fenced in garden. I love having a sun porch! I love having a separate shower and tub in the master bath. I need lots if cabinets in my kitchen or close by, for my dishes addiction.

I need good light, big windows, well placed, and walls for art (yet another reason I hate open concept!).

But I'm a dinosaur....

This is a fascinating thread - and I'll echo everyone else in saying that circumstances obviously make this very different for each of us. We are a younger couple that live in a city. That being said ours were walkability to metro, two bathrooms, and a front desk that accepted packages. Lots of other wants - but those were musts!

One feature I've lived with and without, single, married, with/without kids, is a kitchen with a view to the front. And preferably one with also a view to the back.

I like a powder room.

I like a service door/side door.

Pretty much everything else is situation-specific.

Big enough for the four of us to live comfortably but not so big that housecleaning was onerous - 3000 sq.ft. was the sweet spot.

Total privacy, never lived where I could see a neighbors house or anyone could see ours. Either hear, or be on water. First fl MB. Minimum 2 baths. Separate dining area away from kitchen. Our last house had open kit, din & liv rm.

One thing to be wary of is that people think a new house will change who they are. For instance, they aren't cooks, but imagine that if only they have that massive chef's kitchen with the $10k range they'll want to cook 3 course dinners every night. Or if only they had a dedicated craft room or shop they'll be doing all sorts of craft/DIY work. Or if they don't prioritize organization with their kids now, with a new house their beds will always be made and their clothes will be put away in the california closets. That's not how it works - you are who you are. By all means if you put out a lot of meals now and can afford it, the huge kitchen will make it even more pleasurable. If you are a huge reader, having a dedicated cozy corner or library will make reading more enjoyable, etc. etc. So build a house that maximizes the things you actual do enjoy doing, and helps mitigate the weakness you have, but don't expect your life to change because of the structure you're in.

karikyle33, you have chosen your location, which for us was #1, and I echo what Eld6161 said-our location was based on a high ranking school system. We bought as newlyweds with no plans for children for a few years. We "bought the town" as the realtors say here, for the schools and the ability to get to Boston via public transportation. When looking for a second house in town we really wanted a master bathroom, a big family room, and as much privacy as possible, all of which we were able to achieve. We have been in this town for over 40 years and honestly can't imagine moving anywhere else. So for us it boiled down to location, location, location!

What we have done to the house is: added a bath to have 3.5, added a sunroom, finished the basement, added central air, finished the hardwoods throughout (existing-that's how they built houses in the 60's). What would I change? I think a mudroom would have been nice. But overall, I am as satisfied now as I was the day we moved in!

I have to second Graywings comment about a level lot. Our house is on a hill and while I love the view, there are times (like during an ice storm), when it can be cumbersome; I'm so grateful the back is flat.

Ample closet space in the master, our walk in is beyond small and it's irritating. Things I love about our house and would always want to have is a larger sized walk in pantry, a nice sitting spot out back, a sitting porch in the front, a larger sized walk in linen closet and upstairs laundry.

One thing that I didn't even think about was making sure our living spaces were both a size and shape that will make furniture placement easy. Our living room is larger in size but rectangular in shape which doesn't make it easy.

Well, our previous home was perfectly adequate. We were in the town we wanted to be in, and our house had 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. But...it was a production home, a nice one, but...well, you know how design-oriented we all are. :) We had the opportunity to build a custom home in our same little town and I jumped right in.

The Must Haves (otherwise we would have just stayed in our previous home.)

All brick construction

Bigger lot

Master down

10' ceilings

Each kid gets own bath

Kitchen open to family room

All site-finished hardwoods everywhere (tile in baths)

Fat custom moldings, trim and built-ins

Those were the bones I needed to move out of our old home. I realize some are purely aesthetic things, and some are true indulgences, but building a custom home is an indulgent process. I realize I am fortunate, and do love and appreciate my home.

Lost post to glitch when correcting/editing.

Better than asking anyone else is to sit yourself down and ask:

Do I prefer sunny or shaded spaces

Do I gravitate to the smallest rooms in my home. Or do I like wider , more open spaces?

Do I collect something? What?

Is my closet lean and mean, do I purge every single season? Or have a got a thirty year wardrobe in there on plastic and wire hangers?

How many nights do we eat out, versus in?

Does my bed act as my desk? Do I make my bed daily? do my dogs spend the day in it? Do I watch all my tv there? Or somewhere else?

How do I entertain? Small couples dinners? Or stand up cocktail things for 20?

Do I bake, or is dessert a purchase?

Would my ideal master bath be my OWN BATH? LOL? What about my closet?

Which is more important? Space or fine finishes and details? A huge box, or a "jewel box" ?

Do I throw open my windows? Raise my shades? Or do I leave them drawn down even if no one can see in?

How do my friends enter my house? Through the garage, a friends door, or the formal door? Do I like my answer and what would I prefer?

You get the idea. ...... houses are about how you live, and want to live. ......period. : ) Rarely, does changing addresses change HOW we live. Just like leopards don't change spots.

What Jan has written is SO true! I always wonder on various HGTV shows (Property Bros, in particular) about just how messy the new home becomes when that's how they have always lived.

I learned in the 3 years I lived in LA, that the bigger and more expensive the kitchen is, the less chance any food is ever prepared in it. Those planning kitchens today would have a heart attack if they saw Julia Child's famous Cambridge kitchen!

My DD has redone the mud room area in her garage multiple times - shelves, cubbies, you name it. And even though she is very strict with her two boys about keeping her house neat and they are not allowed in the LR or DR unless the family is in there, she has chosen to not "police" this area and as a result, everything is right where they dropped it...which is right in front of the door into the basement and the stairs up to the kitchen. Her choice.

Karikyle, you have already purchased your lot so your location is set in stone. I hope you like it! I hope you are happy with the schools! I hope you don't mind the driving! Now you have to figure out how your family is going to live in this house and what you truly need. I understand your longing for that huge pantry...and if you live out in the country, that might well be a major priority for you as constant trips to town, hauling babies and young children, is a nuisance. You want to buy staples in bulk and you need a place to store them. So this means if you are set on this, you need to find a place you can lose 100-130 sq ft and still stay at 2000 sq ft. That's a lot of space! With your kind of acreage, I'd think long and hard about having such a huge garage. I don't know where you live, but perhaps a two car is enough and later build a free-standing garage for whatever you wanted that extra space for?

Wants and needs are not the same thing. Then throw in what one can afford and the choices become far more limited for most of us.

It is important to me that the kitchen sink have a big window and a lovely view.

As I get older, the ability to age in place!

Jan, that was a good list.

What I would like that I do not have now: larger closets, another shower, garage and a 3-season sunroom. Mudroom or laundry room. The sunroom is the most likely if we stay here. Maybe the additional shower. There are two of us and two cats, so we do not need a lot of space, but we'd like to maximize the space we have.

Enjoy low energy bills and no mandatory HOA.

Boy, you've gotten some really thought-filled and excellent responses!

Especially from Jan Moyer, Olychick, Janelle and freeoscar... things I wouldn't have thought about...

But, sticking to nuts and bolts, what I have that I love:

Location -- can walk to the post office, library, grocery through a pleasant suburban town

Covered, nice sized front porch

Big windows and enough of them

A southern exposure -- but maybe being a little off full south would provide a bit more light to the northern rooms

A compact space, but not too much so (1250 sq ft) with open LR, DR and FR but closed off kitchen. I would like the kitchen and closets to be just a tad bigger, though

Ceiling fans

Excellent insulation

Décor wise-- red oak floors, plastered walls, good looking baseboard/trim -- the solid feel that comes with a 1941 house.

What I wish I had:

More room between houses -- I can smell my neighbor's cigarettes when he is on his patio, and hear their conversations

A larger yard -- 0.25 acre at least, with more sun for gardening and fruit trees (and yet, a little less wildlife assaulting my garden!)

A bigger garage (currently a one-car) with room for storing bikes, garden supplies, tools etc along with the car

A bigger back entry space or mud room, with room for shoes, brooms etc

A real pantry not just my tall "pantry" cupboard

A private screened porch

The ability to open all my windows (the large north and south wall windows are fixed)

No mosquitos (okay so that isn't part of house design but still a girl can dream...)

My neighbor, who grew up on a big house, said her must-have was to be able to vacuum an entire level of the house without unplugging and replugging in the vacuum lol!

Many have talked about desired location, and even that has changed for me. With kids, I wanted to be able to walk to at least one of their schools. That turned out to be the early elementary. But it would also have been nice to walk to the middle school or even high school: high school so no one had to drive to/from practices at 6am or 10pm.

As we head into the next phase with youngest heading to college and a state in free fall, DH's and my very different location desires are going to come into play. Should be interesting how it all ends up!

bpathome, that wasn't one of my desires for my home, but it DEFINITELY was a criteria for my last vacuum purchase! I had a Miele I loved but it was about 4" short of being able to vacuum the whole 1st (or 2nd) floors without unplugging. It really, really made me crazy, because I hate to vacuum in the first place. So, even though it worked fine, after a period of time that I deemed reasonable, I bought a new one and the only feature I was interested in was cord length! The old one went upstairs where I don't vacuum too often (my roomba does it most of the time). I am SO happy to vacuum without unplugging now :-) It probably would have been cheaper to pay an electrician to install a more centrally located outlet.

This is such great conversation! I love hearing everyone's insights.

April- thank you for explaining. I didn't understand the concept of wall system. Now I know exactly what you mean when you refer to the Roche bookshelves/secretary/bar/tv stand. Funny, my husband and I overspent on just such thing as well- not as nice as yours- ours was not in league with Roche. But when you have nothing but books and music, a good way to organize those things makes all the difference.

I need easy access to the outside. I've lived in many houses, and found the ability to step outside on to a porch, a deck or a patio has a huge impact on how I feel about the house. If I have to walk up or down a flight of stairs to get to the garden, if I have to go through a garage or basement door, I just don't go outside as often.

Rita, ours also is not in league with Roche..:)

But it's nice enough..and the cabinet maker was a very nice guy..and handsome too! he even appears on IMBD as somebody who played "a body in the bar" lol

I agree fully about organization..great organization and layout beat square footage every time. well, to a degree of course..Tiny House movement is not for me either. Also once I got claustrophobic in one tiny hotel room in Paris. And I'm never claustrophobic. but that room was something else

We spent a LOT of time designing our forever home and I'm glad we did as we got 98% of everything on our wish list and did it within our budget.

So I'd start with a wish list that accommodates YOUR lifestyle, wants and needs. We all live in our houses differently, and if you're going custom, customize it to YOU. I told our architect that I never wanted to hear the "R" word: resale. I said there's no way I'm going to be able to predict what homebuyers are looking for 20 years from now, and I'm not spending all my hard-earned cash to build something that's less than what I'm happy with for some future "them". As a result, we have no hardwood floors, no stainless appliances, no granite counters -- everything real estate agents said were *musts*.

There were certain musts on our list though. We do get snow in winter so a paved, level driveway was a must. We were designing for our retirement so low energy costs and low maintenance were musts. We had the land so there were no location considerations, but there were huge location considerations on making the best use of the location of the house on the land for view and energy efficiency. We wanted to build for easy aging in place so we have one-floor living.

We looked at a zillion homes--went to open houses, model homes, show houses, house tours. There was no substitute for being in a space to understand how it works and feels. One local house had a barrel vaulted ceiling in the LR, so much nicer than a cathedral ceiling -- we ended up with one in our dining room. We stayed at a victorian mansion in Charleston and fell in love with their library. So our LR is a library. We went in a model home in FL and fell in love with the kitchen/breakfast nook/FR layout that ended up driving our entire layout. We spent a LOT of time thinking about function: how the different layouts work for our lifestyle. We pictured making breakfast and lunch in the kitchen, pictured family room layout if we are ill, pictured how the house works for holiday dinners or overnight guests. DH really wanted a study to do paperwork. I really wanted a craft room in the SW corner of the house. We needed a mail station in the kitchen.

We also learned a lot about what we didn't want. We didn't want a Mcmansion. We didn't want a gigantic foyer that feels more like a hotel lobby than a home. We didn't want lots of cubic footage that was more to heat and cool and never felt cozy. We wanted our house to be warm and welcoming instead, using thoughtful design over volume. (We read all of Sarah Susanka's books.)

So while hearing specifics of other's needs may be thought provoking (like I needed at least 2' work space on either side of my cooktop) what is primary is to spend time thinking about you, your lifestyle, how you want to live in the house and devoting the most space to the most utilized rooms so it works for you. Keep in mind is you will do what is most convenient. So make doing what you do frequently most convenient. (E.G. we wanted our kitchen and pantry near the garage to minimize grocery toting. We have a lower level patio which is rarely used, but the deck off the kitchen is used all the time. It's so convenient.)

Like peeling an onion, each layer of house design will get you into more specifics ... from location on the lot, to sq footage, to room layout and eventually down to where you want the wall switches. But if that initial layout isn't right for you, the house will never quite fit.

Location, a lot of beautiful large windows, open plan with some walls for my art, 10' ceilings, white Kitchen, master and office on first floor, modern futures. Not too much maitanance (small yard but with some privacy). We have it all now. What I would recommend, don't skim on flooring and ceiling high. Think about functional Kitchen with drawers. Simple and elegant design always beautiful.

My biggest want right now is to redo my kitchen with all bottom drawers. I love drawers vs cabinets.

i have lived many places to during my life, from very old to very new. I have loved them all, even ones i started hating, because they all gave me something. I have just begun thinking of our last move, we are talking about moving to the beach which means a mobile home. it is very popular at our local beaches, but where i am from it was unthinkable. It gives us many things a large pool to swim, many grade a restaurants in the neighborhood. many more local events - not sure if i can attend but at least we have them. closeness to our doctors and our hospital, who wants to charge us for not living there.

In addition, certain upgrades are going with out saying. central heat and air, never had before. a kitchen designed for me to use. upgrades in all mechanics, a bathroom that is more accommodating. everywhere i go i shall be the perfect temperature. I shall find it easier to leave and come home and my fuzzies shall not give up adequite living, dining and expelling facilities. a screened porch. and i shall l also retain perfect spots for reading and playing. pretty much all we could ask for.

Interestingly. I thought in that direction, havingfun..not right now but at some point. It will make it possible to live in one of my most favorite beach cities ever, beautiful, walkable, brimming with life and art and everything..

Unfortunately the fees you pay every month for the land there..it's about a grand a month, I think more?..

Annie I read your post with great interest..I know your house is so very beautiful. yes, the more houses you see the more you can understand and get inspired by something..or by almost everything..rarely everything, but I saw a few houses like that. They were either exquisitely built by architects. Or their owners were very avid gardenerers..

The variety of ways to approach this question is really great. Thanks for everybody who made a list, or a quip, or in any way made this a chewy read!

LIGHT, a little bit of land so not looking in to the neighbors window to borrow TP, a fairly large and open kitchen and family room and a good size master bath. The rest no need to be huge. Master bed on first floor or a single story home. In a perfect world and maybe when we move, I'd love to have a room that is large enough for my washer/dryer and also large enough to put all pet things in for Sofie and Liv British Short Hair girls. That way, no food in the kitchen. Essentially, a pet room, mud room :)

We have some of this already, LOVE to live single story and have the cat/mudroom though and DOWNSIZE...

I must be an exception to the rule of 'The bigger and more expensive the kitchen, the less it is cooked in. " Mine has lots space, lots of amenities, the reno cost was significant . . . and I LOVE it, and cook in it every day! For me, a well-designed kitchen makes me want to cook even more. My kitchen is a joy to be in. I do wish I has a maid to clean it, though (LOL)!!!

Thanks, April. Glad to say that 7 years of living in our new home and it is still serving us very well!

Hmm, obviously the musts are obvious.

The extras that I really appreciate?

A large kitchen that works well because half of it is for cooking , and the other half is essentially the butlers pantry and serving area. Works very well for us.

His and hers bathrooms.

easy access laundry

a screened (if needed) and covered outdoor space bug enough to dine, entertain, and nap

a generous guest room with private bath

a "loading dock" for inbound and outbound packages

tons of hooks for coats, long hallway for same

a cloak room for when you have guests

if you have kids, a craft room/homework room

his and hers desk in a home office

I am a fifty three year old divorced woman so my needs now are very different than they were when I am a married mother of seven. I needed at least one bedroom on the ground floor if the stairs started giving me problems. Currently I sleep in the bigger bedrroom upstairs and the other is a very nice guest room. I knew I didn't want or need outside maintenance work so I only looked at townhomes. I wanted pretty in most everything, I embrace my shallowness lol. My kitchen is tiny, perfect for me, I am not a huge cook or baker (although I now get one of the meal delivery services so I am cooking a bit more). When I do cook everything is right there, literally. I grew up in a different country and my standards and perspective might be a little different than the American standards I have seen over the years. I have 1100sq ft, a end unit, a very comfortable bed, a washer AND a dryer, a microwave (a pretty one even) a full sized refrigerator, a brand new stove/oven, two ok bathrooms (pure luxury where I am from), nice floors, heating and A/C. No outside work (and outside is lovely, all trees and (odd) little creatures). It's just me and my Leo, a ten lb. Bichon. I fill it with flowers as often as I can and really enjoy the quiet. And, I promise, it's pretty ;)

i bought this little place, sight unseen. I had an excellent real estate person. For me, it's perfect.

Everyone just move in with me! I think now that all of the above is what "life" is about!

My short list of absolute must haves for a permanent residence is

Two toilets

My own laundry equipment

Easily accessible outdoor space

Utility and/or coat closet in addition to bedroom closets

Off street parking

Second tier requirements include

Natural light

Windows that open

At least one generously sized space even if everything else is cramped

Large countertop, island or work table space for projects.

Plentiful outlets and light fixtures

Variety of shelves, hooks, bookcases and built-ins for storage

Everyone is different of course, but don't forget about creating Adequate Linen Storage.

Thoughtfully placed outlets

As I am sure others are sick of hearing me say, my current house is dark and gloomy so lots of well-placed windows are #1 on my list of must-haves.

I'm really surprised how many have listed privacy or distance from neighbors as a must have. I have lived in rural, urban and suburban homes and I quite like having near neighbors. We once lived in a townhome, very solid and built in the 1920's, but at night when the world was quiet, I could hear my neighbors through the walls--there's Ms. H praying her way through an asthma attack. There's Jennifer next door listening to that same album. Again. Now we live in a suburban neighborhood--I wave to my neighbors over the back fence and stop to chat about the invasive species taking over our back yards. I find a bag of tomatoes hanging on my fence when I take the pups out in the morning. Need a ladder? Neighbor's got one.

I could take rural living, too, I just appreciate the neighborliness of neighbors.

I think the one thing I couldn't stand to live without, other than functional plumbing and a usable kitchen, is trees. I really like big old trees and can't picture myself living in the new subdivisions around here built on farmland that didn't have any trees on it, so now every tree in the neighborhood is still in training pants.

Must haves for me:

Privacy - lot with acreage and lots of trees. I love nature so having the ability to see deer, fox, cayote, snakes, lizards and birds is a dream come true for me.

Semi-open concept - I like to see my guests and enjoy having the chance to talk to them while being in a different room. It seems like I am always running to the kitchen so having an opportunity to keep the conversation going while doing this is something I enjoy.

Natural Light - we have a wrap around porch on three sides and I still feel like we get enough light. The basement is darker, which I actually enjoy as it's blisteringly hot and I find it to be a welcoming reprieve.

Good plumbing - our hot water heater heats the shower within seconds and I like the efficiency.

Pretty views - this is actually my number 1. Our real estate agent remarked that the view seemed to be the most important thing to me. I don't know why but I love a pretty view.

Not a must have, but I love having all my appliances hidden, exspecially the refrigerator.

Not a must have, but I love a fireplace in the kitchen on cold winter mornings and in the fall. I love double sided fireplaces.

I also like a circular drive and a gated property. They are not must haves but really nice.