Your life style Suburban lifestyles are flexible, offering children the opportunity to play outdoors and enjoy the neighborhood environment. Urban areas offer greater social, cultural, educational and career opportunities; rural environments offer privacy, room to roam and the ability to pursue hobbies.The cost of home ownershipThere’s more to consider than just the monthly mortgage payment. Will you be able to afford the expenses that come with owning a home? Can you handle utilities, property taxes, repairs, association fees and even mortgage? To rebuild or build a house in your own model Having a custom-built home can be expensive. But are you ready to take on remodeling and updating an older home to meet your needs? A remodel can often be expensive and in the end, is less satisfying — and finishing a project yourself, without experience, can result in the purchase of costly tools and the loss of valuable time. Location This is one of the most important things to put into consideration. It doesn’t matter how good your house is, if it’s in an insecure area, you WILL be attacked. Make use of your broker Most real estate agents represent the seller, but a broker represents your needs, desires, and helps you locate the property that’s best suited for you. While brokers are difficult to locate in some markets, locating a professional advocate who is required by law to get you the best price and terms can alleviate home shopping stress.