Commute - I wanted to be less than 20 minutes to the elementary school from my work.

Schools - good school, but somewhere where my child would be middle of the road in terms of HHI/socioeconomic background. I also didn’t want the pressure cooker environment of some of the “top” schools

Walkable/sidewalks - didn’t find anything that was really walkable to restaurants/stores, but we wanted sidewalks and the ability to walk to
elementary school/pool/park/friends.

House - three full baths and at least 5 rooms with doors that closed. We wanted two bedrooms, a guest room and two offices. Also wanted a separate place for kids to hang put (basement/rec room). Also wanted something that felt solid - not a hasty new build.

Budget - mortgage payment that would be easily doable on one salary- this we didn’t REALLY get - but it would be possible if we cut back on indulgent spending.

We didn’t get a garage or a porch, and the closet/storage space/bedroom size isn’t great - but some of those things can be fixed with renovations.

Not in the DMV...

Natural light – lots of southern exposure but mitigated by plantation or estate shutters on all windows so no "sun spots" on the floors

Layout – two first floor bedrooms – while not young I am not yet ancient. Just prefer a first floor bedroom. Also, square footage. As in large. Plenty of storage.

Location – convenient to major commuting routes. Privacy/quiet. Place overlooks a pond with ducks, herons, geese and turtles. That said, walkable to the nearby Trader Joes, five sit down restaurants of various flavors, four fast casual restaurants, a large bookstore, a grocery store, a pharmacy, a hardware store and a UPS store.

Structural elements – solidly built, well maintained over time (roof, mechanicals) and carefully updated. The usual updated countertops, stainless appliances and hardwood floors throughout.

Price -

Tried to get schools into the equation but had to compromise. Local schools are great at the elementary level, middle school is meh, high school is a bit uneven.

Anonymous wrote:We prioritized finding a house and neighborhood we love that wasn't at the top end of our budget. We purchased our house at the start of the pandemic, so we also valued a reasonable commute. Well, now we're both working from home. The local schools are mediocre; I've already heard the neighbors complaining about them and sending their kids elsewhere. I still love our house and neighborhood, but I wish I considered the school situation more.

Don't necessarily take your neighbors' word for it. The loudest people are generally those who are complaining. We live in a pyramid that is looked down upon by DCUM and my kids are thriving.

First, convenience to school, ECs and public transportation, then
1. general house flow/layout (even though we did a major remodel, the floor plan needed to be solid)
2. natural light
3. privacy/ quiet
4. outdoor space (dogs)
5. parking (in the city)

20,000 population or less with very good schools and a reasonable commute. We were lucky to find the ideal home with those specs. A few years ago as empty nesters we downsized in the same town with a requirement for a master on the ground floor.

1) commute - Calculated the max time I was willing to drive and forced ourselves to stay within that zone.

2) schools - did not look at schools rated below a 6 I think on great schools. It is not a great measure but we needed some way to weed out which schools were higher FARMS and it still generally works for that at the lower ends.

3) peacefulness - I hate road noise so houses right in busy roads we ruled out.

4) Look of the house.