One of the most thrilling aspects of the home search is imagining your life in new surroundings. Being novelty-seeking by nature, we thrive in new and inspiring places. However, planting roots in any one location necessitates trading some amount of novelty for stability. We at
de Manio Eberley Group would like to share several of the most important considerations we've found are essential for anyone seeking to make the move of a lifetime.
Environment
Even the most high-end luxury properties can't outmatch the grandeur of a beautiful landscape. Not only are breathtaking natural settings enjoyable to the senses, but they're also of tangible benefit to your physical and mental health. At least, that's what mounting
scientific research has concluded after carefully studying claims that simply spending time in beautiful natural areas improves physical health. Though the claim is anything but new to humankind at large, people in modern societies across the world are sensing a deep-seated pull towards lifestyles in closer alignment with natural environments.
What better way to establish such a lifestyle than to live in a more natural setting? Those leading luxury lifestyles have long enjoyed the comfort of living near priceless natural amenities — now, one can affirm that doing so is important for their family's health, no less! Before expending time, resources, and energy in seeking the house of your dreams, take a moment to ponder the natural setting of your dreams first.
No amount of money can make up for a natural environment that lacks inspiration and splendor — while a more modest home situated in truly spectacular surroundings may be more conducive to "having it all" in the long run. The weather alone is a case in point: your happiness and comfort will be much greater if you limit your search to regions with your preferred climate.
The South Florida market we specialize in (and Florida's Gulf Coast in particular) has some of the most world-renowned and spectacular beachfront and lake-side properties imaginable. The soft white sands and the soothing shoreline rhythms are truly a paradise. There is much you can do to make up for a house that may be structurally lacking in some way; on the other hand, you are entirely beholden to the natural environment you inhabit. Therefore, you'd do well to consider the climate and natural setting your first priority when house-hunting.
Layout
A thoughtfully designed house can take on a life of its own. Being more than the sum of its features, the layout of your home can be likened to its personality. Though comparing homes in relation to their number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage, and other such measurements is essential, it's far from
all-important. As your financial means expand, so too do your housing options, where manors and estates are practically always custom-built, each with a unique character.
Consider, for example, the balance between closed and open spaces. Do the rooms flow well together, or are they spaced apart in ways contrary to your purposes? As you compare properties, think about how the structure may or may not facilitate the lifestyle you seek.
Lifestyle-based considerations
Let the following list serve as a starting point in brainstorming the right questions to ask when you start looking at properties. Approaching your real estate options according to your lifestyle will help you more quickly zero in on the right home for you.
- If you often entertain guests, emphasize wide-open living and entertainment spaces, an inviting outdoor area, and a high-efficiency kitchen.
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For busy professionals, a suitable, comfortable, and private home office is essential.
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Retirees should look at the ease with which the space accommodates movement.
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With young children and pets, it's important to consider how easy it is to keep an eye on the yard (especially for homes with pools).
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Hobbyists and “DIY”-ers will naturally seek properties with a space they can devote to workshops.
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With any property, consider whether or not you might want to expand the structure in the future.
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Take a long-term vision — will you need a place to firmly establish roots far into the future, or is this move time-limited for any reason (e.g., the duration of schooling or a work endeavor)?
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Levels of independence vs. available amenities — would "outsourcing" certain functions (as with condos and HOA-controlled neighborhoods) be better suited for your needs? Or do you require total ownership and control of your living space?
It's okay if you realize that you don't yet know exactly what you are looking for. If that's you, we encourage you to admit it and delve deeply into the right questions to clarify your needs and desires. Above all, consider how any given property will become valuable to you in the most subjective possible way, rather than looking narrowly at its market value or its role in your investment portfolio.
Locale
Even if you love the natural environment, the house, and the property, you'll also want to ensure that you appreciate the neighborhood. In our market, for example, you'll find a rich tapestry of
Southwest Florida neighborhoods, from Sarasota and Longboat Key to luxury Siesta Key homes. Each community has its own unique character, with different levels of access to the natural and cultural amenities that make Florida's real estate so diverse. Devote at least as much time researching the neighborhoods you're considering as the environment around them — it will save you time in the long run.
Start another list of the most important amenities and entertainment spots the local community provides, such as social clubs, theaters, museums, business opportunities, and educational institutions. Research the local area according to your favorite recreational activities outside the house, such as wilderness areas, urban hotspots, nightlife offerings, and shopping centers.
This goes for everyone in your family. Is there something for everyone — both individually and as a group? It's essential to make sure that everyone feels like there is something for them, and you'd do well to spend time exploring the surrounding area together, whether physically or through research. Picture yourselves there and imagine whether or not you'd happily adapt to the local culture. Like the environment, there's little you can do to alter the social landscape, no matter how much you love the property in its own right.
Look past what can be changed
In our three decades of experience, we've learned to help our clients adopt something of a veritable "X-ray vision" when considering any given property — by which we mean the ability to look past those elements that may be discouraging at first glance, but which are actually very easy to change. It's important to invoke your imagination (albeit with a hefty dose of realism) when considering the different elements of a property that you may not like at first glance.
Unless you build a house from the ground up, you'll inevitably wish certain critical aspects of an almost-perfect property were more to your liking than they are. That's okay, though, if those elements are easy to change. Framed skillfully enough, your agent can even use unwanted elements as the basis for lowering your offer.
Being highly visual in nature, it can be hard to ask our minds to let go of certain appearances and see through to the actual level of work involved if you were to change certain aspects of a property to better suit your taste. Remain open to the possibility of needing to customize a new home to better match and express your unique needs.
Easy and common customizations that might make the difference
Even buyers who spend top dollar for a Sarasota property that (nearly) matches their dreams aren't averse to altering it to suit their needs better. Stay open to the possibilities that an almost-perfect property's shortcomings may present, and consider how it might look and feel after completing small, simple renovations that may have a dramatic effect:
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High-tech media centers or housewide sound systems
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New interior decoration schemes
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Lighting effects
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Antique wood accents
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Fresh interior and exterior paint jobs
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Changing cabinets (or at least hardware)
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Outdoor entertaining space and landscaping
We'll leave it to you to decide if customizing your new home, and to what extent, is suitable for you in the interest of widening your options — but we will say, based on experience, that it is generally little surprise to see even luxury homeowners decide to renovate at least one thing or another shortly after purchase.
Finding a home that speaks to you
As specialists in South Florida real estate and its highly competitive luxury home market, Betsy de Manio and Jackie Eberley of
de Manio Eberley Group have been breaking records as one of Coldwell Banker's Top Agents in the entire world. From Sarasota luxury homes to Longboat Key mansions, this is the team you want on your side. So, if you need an expert ally to scout out the most remarkable
South Florida real estate opportunities, don't hesitate to reach out and get started on your journey to paradise.
*Header photo courtesy of de Manio Eberley Group
