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How to make your dream home a reality – Tip #4
Dreams are on their way to becoming realities when it comes to buying your dream home. You’ll see from following our ten steps that you don’t need to be a kajillionaire in order to find the perfect house to suit your needs. Now that you’ve narrowed down your search to reflect the neighborhood in which you’d like to reside, it’s time to get even more specific.
Street Smarts:
The key to finding your dream home is to not only choose your perfect neighborhood but to go so far as determining the kind of street on which you’d like to live, too. There are pros and cons to all different kinds of streets. Of course, the busier the street, the cheaper the property. Maybe the hustle and bustle of a busy boulevard isn’t a big deterrent, though, and this is how you will afford to live in a neighborhood that may have once been considered slightly out of financial reach. What other factors are there to consider? Some families prefer the idyllic comfort of a street with a cul-de-sac because it’s thought to be the safest (and most fun) for kids to play with friends. Others imagine their home on a corner because those lots are larger and you have more privacy with fewer neighbors. In order to find your true dream house, it would be smart to go to your chosen neighborhood and either drive or take a walk around (both at night and during the day) to determine what characteristics of a particular street make most sense for you and your family.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this blog, when you’re ready to start searching for your next home, i’ll be happy to cater to your needs!
Want more tips? Read the rest of the tips for making your dream home a reality here!
Family Fun Events in LA This Weekend 8/14/15 – 8/16/15
There are always plenty of family fun events in LA, the problem is finding them all before it’s too late! Luckily for you, every week we post our favorite family fun events in LA to make your life easier!
Friday 8/14
American Idol Auditions, Presented by bBooth
10 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Westfield Culver City
6000 Sepulveda Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90230
“Meet A Live Animal” at the Natural History Museum
3 – 3:30 p.m.
Natural History Museum
900 Exposition Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90007
Dodgers vs. Mets + Friday Night Fireworks
7 p.m.
Dodger Stadium
1000 Elysian Park Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Eat|See|Hear Outdoor Screening: Three Amigos
5:30 – 10:30 p.m.
Autry National Center
4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Saturday 8/15
Disney’s D23 Expo 2015
All Weekend
Anaheim Convention Center
800 W Katella Ave,
Anaheim, CA 92802
“Nature Gardens Exploration” & “Dinosaur Encounters” at the Natural History Museum
11 a.m.
Natural History Museum
900 Exposition Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90007
Dig It! An Archaeology Adventure
10 a.m.
Skirball Cultural Center
2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd.,
Los Angeles, CA 90049
Free Kids Craft Class “Make it & Take it”
10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Dockweiler Youth Center
12505 Vista del Mar
Playa del Rey, CA 90293
Back to School Bash
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Whole Foods Market
11737 San Vicente Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90049
Free Movie Night: Back to The Future Part II
8 p.m.
Burton Chace Park
13650 Mindanao Way
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
Once Upon A Canyon Night Presents: Kids’ Night Out!
7:30 p.m.
Coldwater Canyon Park
Sunday 8/16
Family Art Studio: Skirball Succulent Society
All Day
Skirball Cultural Center
2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd.,
Los Angeles, CA 90049
Family Flicks Film Series: The Secret Garden
11 a.m.
Hammer Museum
10899 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Sleeping Beauty: The Musical
2 p.m.
The Little Theater
12420 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
SuperHero – Princess Academy: The Musical
2 p.m.
CAC Studios
3110 Pennsylvania Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Are we missing anything? Send us an email if you know of any other family fun events in LA coming up!
How To Make Your Dream Home A Reality – Tip #3
We’ve been addressing the steps on how to make your dream home a reality. First, a concise list of ‘wants’ versus ‘needs.’ Next, a decision about style to help narrow down your search. Today’s tip on how to find your dream home: location!
Home is where the heart is:
Your dream home exists; now it’s just a question of finding it. Think about your ideal location for a home and then begin there to find it. This may seem either obvious or unattainable but it’s really not. You may think your ideal neighborhood is that which has multi-million dollar properties or boasts neighbors that belong on red carpets. But take a second to consider other criteria other than status or hyped up popularity. Think about where you work or where your kids’ schools are. Commuting can be really rough on your quality of life and often these high profile neighborhoods are further from your daily destination than you’d like. There are so many hidden areas tucked within large cities that you may never have even heard of before. So, before you start your search, take some time to reevaluate where you want to be and possibly educate yourself on areas you’re currently unfamiliar with. Your dream house is out there~ now it’s up to you to find it!
Want more tips? Read the rest of the tips on how to make your dream home a reality here!
How to make your dream home a reality – Tip #2
You have your heart set on making your dream home a reality. Congratulations! It’s an exciting time. No need to let reality convince you that your dream home is unattainable. The first step to achieving the home of your dreams was to create a list of ‘wants’ versus ‘needs.’ Now that you have established a good list of ‘needs’, it’s time to look good.
In Style:
Most buyers have a particular architectural style that they gravitate towards. Some people love modern, others favor traditional. There are countless styles to consider including Spanish, Mediterranean, Tudor, Contemporary, Neo-Classical and literally dozens of others in between. If you’re a single home buyer, then the battle is already won. You can start your search with a focus towards the type of home you imagine yourself living in. Couples, however, often find themselves needing to compromise when it comes to choosing the architectural style of the home they’ll be sharing together. Some individuals may not have a particular preference while others wouldn’t be caught dead living in a home that doesn’t suit their style sensibilities. If you are part of a couple with strong yet differing opinions with regards to the style of your future home, it’s important to negotiate likes and dislikes before beginning your dream home search.
Want more tips? Read the rest of the tips on how to make your dream home a reality here!
How to make your dream home a reality – Tip #1
Most of us at one point or another have imagined our ‘dream’ home. We close our eyes and whatever images we have of what would be our residential paradise pops into our minds. Then reality sets in and a little annoying thing called, ‘budget’. But with a little compromise and flexibility, you can make your dream home a reality in ten easy steps.
Wants vs. Needs:
Remember Veruca Salt’s famous line from the movie, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?” She sang: ‘Don’t care how, I want it NOW!!!’ It’s easy to get caught up in the ‘wants’ when considering what house to buy. Sure, I may want to have an indoor bowling alley. A moat and trap door may be cool, too. But do I really NEED these things? For most of us, it’s important to sit down before starting the home hunt and really prioritize and recognize the difference between wants vs. needs. This is different for every person and family. A gift-wrapping room may seem frivolous and unnecessary to Joe, but if John has a business that requires packaging and shipping, maybe a separate room for that is a major need. I recommend you start the house search by creating a list of wants vs. needs with special attention paid to the needs column. Wants are great, of course, but as a bonus once all the needs have been met.