So I've been looking at real estate and noticed that people seem to differ in what they want/need in a new house based on their background/nationality.
So I'm wondering if you would like to share what your background is and what 'rules in' or 'rules out' a house for you?
For example: renovations on a cosmetic or structural scale, kitchen type, second kitchen, bedroom sizes, formal spaces, large backyard and garden or small court yard, slope, feng shui considerations like staircases etc.
Observant Jews would be looking for decent sized kitchen (two would be most ideal lol but this isn't exactly common) for food laws, proximity to synagogue, an outdoor area without anything above it such as a yard/garden (not absolutely necessary but highly desired) due to how certain holidays are celebrated, and cannot rely on electronics for entry (such as elevators, NFC proximity cards, electronic buzzers) due to Sabbath laws.
Although you probably won't encounter this kind've competition unless it's a Jewish area, the more you know.
Also needs to be in the Eruv
Must have a poop deck… Nationality; none, I'm a pirate! The sea is my home.
My wife is Asian, the only thing is that she needed in a house was for it to be more expensive than any of her friends houses…
do you also require a poop knife?
Location, Location, Location and if you can't have that Views, Views, Views!
Kinda need a good location to get good views…
well yes and no ;)
For example, you could get gorgeous mountain views or river views in a small country village town that not many people have heard of.
The thing I'm particularly interested in is how much natural light the place has and how energy efficient is it. Will it be too hot in summer and too cold in winter - does it feel like it is well insulated. Can I smell damp, do the walls look true, are there cracks that indicate serious underpinning required. If the basics aren't sound then it doesn't matter what has been put over the top.
If something looks like it has been placed awkwardly it might be trying to hide something behind it. Fresh paint/wall paper may be an indicator they are trying to cover over a problem.
I would prefer a place that is well looked after, but not renovated, as the effects of time will be evident.
White person detected!
Must have space for a baby grand piano.
My background is racist. Must have nazi emblem on door.
Really? You expect people to answer this and not end up in some sort of race thing?
you would find the swastika on the door of many hindus
Maybe I’m a racist Hindu.
Rude
What does a Hindu?
.
Lays iggs brew!
I've been keeping an eye out for about 6 months now. I'm Australian and from out in the sticks, the other half is Chinese Canadian, grew up in Canada and China, and lived in NYC. Like most things, surprise, we generally have similar tastes and wants. Individuals are still individuals regardless of their background after all. We don't care about being close to the city or about the specific location of the place as long as it's not on a major road, just 10 minutes in any direction from the general area we already rent in is fine as it's a good area.
We don't want a single story house or a house old enough to have been renovated (they generally lack in security and are still outdated in many ways even after renovation), a very small yard or lack of privacy in the yard, a pool (though it seems unavoidable, so we're happy to fill it in and make a japanese sand garden), white floor tiles (they're freaking everywhere and hideous), small rooms, ugly kitchen, ugly or outdated bathroom, a house with no garage, with small rooms or with a steep driveway.
We do want a house with wooden floors, a modern kitchen and bathroom, large rooms, minimum 4 bedrooms with a bedroom sharing a wall with the master bedroom, open design with a natural layout (I've seen some confusing floorplans), natural light, one interesting characteristic, privacy, solar-panels and a dog-friendly yard.
We don't give two shits about impressing anyone or trends etc, we have actual personalities so it's only about loving our own home, starting with a useable base and making it our own. A full 15% of our budget is for renovating/furnishing so there is some leeway to work with in regard to improving what's there but things like no garage, steep driveway, no privacy, ugly kitchen or too small rooms are all dealbreakers because they can't be or are too expensive to change. This budget includes painting the interior, replacing any white tiles with floating floorboards, and many various other things. We view them as blank canvases, and they often look it too considering how many are all-white these days, they look like a science lab, no warmth at all.
When we built our house I had to follow a few of my mum's strict rules on mainly don'ts (feng shui?), here are the ones I remember:
* Front door to back door/back window cannot be a straight, there needs to be a solid break (to stop money flowing out of the house).
* Roof/Eaves need to be at or above neighbour height (not sure why).
* Oven can't face a certain direction (I forgot which).
* Beds cannot have you sleeping with your feet pointing to the front of the house
* Front door shouldn't have a tree in view (blocking money again).
* Something about a certain number of steps to go into the house (cannot be 3 or 4, can't remember)
* Not feng shui, but mum wanted a door to separate kitchen open area from bedroom area, so cooking smells don't spread to bedrooms.
FYI, we are of chinese ethnicity.
I require a laundry room of fifteen feet by fifteen feet. Stain-proof ceramic tile from floor to ceiling.
I'm a man who likes to do his own laundry, and sometimes, it gets messy.
Like many have already said - location is the most important thing. Properties are over a million dollars these days - how much of that do you think is building value? Probably like 20 - 25% max? You should base your purchasing decision on the 80% (i.e. the land), not the 20%, right?
I've always found that non-locational inconveniences I can live with - I don't mind this or that being small or some window being here or door being there. Maybe I would care more if I spent more time at home, but given that I'm only at home like 5 hours (not including sleeping time) every day, it's not the biggest deal in the world to me.
In any case, you can always rebuild the building to suit what you prefer, but you can't easily move the location of your land.
Can't be number house number 13 or any combination of numbers that is considered bad luck or evil. otherwise as long as its within budget no real preferences.
13 is good in other cultures
It's the number 4 or 14 that's the killer… (Or any variation of this.)
i see what you did there :D
lots of streets skip that number.
I'm in the land development industry in Melbourne and I have Chinese investment developers as some of my clients. Interestingly, it's a challenge to educate them on what sort of things your standard Australian (of any ethnic background) might like in a house. Double garage and drive is an example. The idea of two cars is foreign, or that someone may have a boat or caravan they'd like to permanently park in their front yard. Grassed well fenced backyard for a dog. So, rather than working to an ethnicity of one or another, working to an Australian lifestyle.
Here’s a question - are walk in robes essential? Or just built in robes? What about a butlers pantry (would you want a second stove in the butlers pantry?)
I’m astounded you have a first stove. Is it in the same room as your drying box and leeching kit?
I think it's a budget toss up between the second stove and the outdoor bidet.
I think a buttlers pantry is more commonly known as a scullery.
spend a couple of weekends scoping out the neighbourhood. a great house with shitty neighbours doesnt make a great ‘home’.
Bad neighbors can really ruin things. They saw make a couple of visits on the weekend, maybe walk to the local park or something (so your not just creepily walking up and down the street) try to catch the eye of anyone you see, go up to them and engage with them tell you are thinking of buying, pick their brain. Look out for shit looking houses, most really shit looking houses are horders or stalled DIY. You might also pick up some info why the place is being sold that might be helpful.
As an Eskimo I require a large cold room.
I like to have a Dungeon. Heritage: Westerosian.