Neighborhood Wish List

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credit: Regent Neighborhood Association You've made the big decision to buy a home, and you're ready to begin your home search. You have your house-hunting wish list that lays out what you want, need, and really don't want in an ideal home for sale.

But before you call your Realtor or begin searching the Madison MLS listings, don't forget that final piece of the house-hunting puzzle... it's something we call the neighborhood wish list.

The perfect home doesn't just come with the amenities you're looking for in a living space. It's also located in an area that fits your lifestyle. Too often, we find home buyers spending valuable time looking at homes in areas that don't meet their needs. This can mean time and opportunities lost, and it can lead to disappointments and frustration.

Instead, we suggest home buyers make a list of everything they want out of the larger area in which they live. Things like access to bus lines, walkable shops, green space, low-traffic streets, lots of trees, proximity to downtown, easy access to a gym or library, etc. This helps us focus on the areas of town that meet most or all of your needs.

We don't expect every buyer to have ample knowledge of all of Madison's neighborhoods -- that's our job! While we'll encourage you to look at homes in neighborhoods you may be unfamiliar with, we will make sure those neighborhoods offer what you're looking for.

As you begin your home search, be sure to ask yourself:

  • What do we want from our neighborhood?
  • What do we need?
  • What would be a deal-breaker?
  • How can a neighborhood support or enhance the way we live and what we love to do? 

In today's fast-paced real estate season, having a strong sense of what you're looking for in a neighborhood can help you act fast when homes hit the market!