When you’re shopping for a new home, you want to find a property that has
all the features and characteristics you want. A large deck surrounded by
picturesque landscaping ... a beautiful kitchen with gleaming marble
countertops... a cozy finished basement with fireplace....

You should look for the ideal home. You deserve it! But some home buyers
make the mistake of becoming fixated on finding the "perfect" property, and
passing too quickly on those homes that don't quite measure up.

Why is that a mistake? Because some of those less-than-perfect properties
have the potential of becoming your next dream home.

First of all, a home that is lacking some desirable features, such as a
finished basement, will probably cost less. Those savings may be more than
enough to cover any needed upgrade or renovation.

Secondly, if you look at a home in terms of its potential, rather than the
features it happens to have now, there will be more properties available on
the market for you to consider.

If you're determined to have a large wrap-around deck for entertaining, for
example, don't cross homes that don't have this feature off your list. At least
not yet. Instead, view these properties with an eye on potential. Is the
backyard big enough to accommodate a large deck? How would a deck like
that look if added to this particular property? How much would such a
renovation cost?

There's no doubt about it. You want to find a home that has all the features
and characteristics you want. If you work with a good REALTOR®, there is
a good chance you'll find a property that has most of them.

But keep an open mind. Sometimes a "diamond in the rough" can – with an
upgrade or renovation – become a home you'll treasure for years