Looking for a new home is always an exciting experience.

It can be fun to see other places and imagine your own furniture in the rooms or think about how great it would be to watch your children grow up there. However, before you get carried away with how awesome some of the features of the new potential house are, it’s best to make sure that it has some must-have elements as well.

Before you go house-hunting for the best penthouses or a home in the country, prepare a list of the features any new home has to have, and this will help you make your decision. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Great Storage

If you think of where you live now, do you have enough storage, or would more be better? Keep that thought in mind when you visit a property with a realtor and make a special point to notice how much storage it has. If there is less than you have now, could you really cope with it? If there is the same amount will that be okay, or could you actually do with more? Measure closets and other storage spaces to see exactly what size everything is and then compare with what you already have. It’s crucial to ensure that all of your belongings will fit, especially if you plan on staying in the property for many years.

A Good Commute

If you work away from home, you’ll need to take a good look at your commuting times from each of the properties you view. Just because it’s only a handful of miles between the house and the office, that doesn’t mean it’s a pleasant or easy journey. There might be traffic every day turning what, on paper, is a quick drive into a nightmare that is much longer than it takes you right now. If you take public transport, there may not be many trains or buses running when you need them. Check all of this out and even do the commutes at various times of the day if you’re really keen on a particular property. It’s good to have that information.

Temperature Controls

If you live in a warm climate, you’re going to want an air conditioning unit. In a cold climate, you’ll need to know that the heating is good. Take a look at what is already in the house. Has the heating and cooling been well cared for and maintained? Or will you need to pay out to get things fixed after you move in? Ask the realtor and the vendor questions to ascertain this information, and you could save yourself a lot of money.

Good Neighbors

Having good neighbors can make any property better. Bad neighbors can make the dream property lose its appeal. Neighbors are something that can often be thought about far too late to make any difference, however, what with all the excitement of finding a wonderful new place to live. Before you commit to anything, knock on the neighbors’ doors and introduce yourself. You’ll get a feeling of what they are like straight away, and you can then make an informed decision.

This is also a useful way of finding out more about the neighborhood in general as you can ask questions about it.