Marie Kondo My Checklist!

Where do we start when we head towards purchasing our first property? Or how should I begin the shortlisting process? This is a frequently asked question, so rest assured that you are not alone.

For many, the first stop would be to list down a set of criteria that they are seeking in their next house purchase; "No West Sun", "High Floor", "Sea View", "Near To Good School", etc, the list goes on, and while the search begin, we often get side tracked by the "Bling Factors" - beautiful pool, fully equipped gym, beautiful clubhouse with an array of functionalities for different occassions! And suddenly, new criteria are thrown into the mix and the list grew into a mix-bag of impracticality, with a very slim chance of checking off the list itself and leaves you feeling that you are going for the second best and not the best choice.

And the truth is many of us goes through that and end up not getting anything or worst still, getting a place that checks off as many of the items in the list as possible but still makes you feel far from the dream home you have been working hard to achieve!

So how should we go about do this in a efficient and effective manner. The simple answer is splitting the list into "Wants" vs "Needs" and then further drill down the list into "Emotional" vs "Logical" decisions.

...for example, while hunting for a house so that its nearer to the school of choice for your children is a logical needs - studies have shown that children with enough rest tends to do better in later years...

So in this case, does the "High Floor" and the "Sea View" has major impact on your decision? Chances are its a good to have which may not necessary be a show stopper as long as your children's well-being are well taken care of! As such, can you strike these criteria off your list?

Alternatively, work closely with your realtor to embark on this process. A good realtor will work with you to gain insights from you and your loved ones on your needs and wants and filter them into a palatable list and at the same time present to you a customized list of potential units, thus making process a highly efficient and effective ones saving you time.

Start your next house hunt by shortlisting a realtor whom you can work with, a realtor who is able to understand your needs and wants in finding that dream home with practicality! It may be out of your comfort zone, but its something worth giving a thought to!