Hey guys! Isla here. Happy 2020! I haven’t had a chance to take off with this blogging thing, but recently I have been searching for home for Abbie and I and it really got me thinking. What makes a house a home? What are the necessary things you need a house to make it feel like your home? Is it the people you choose to live with? Family, friends, pets? Is it the perfect location? Today I’ll be breaking down what I think truly makes a house a home, everything from family to the type of home you have, to your neighbors and community. Come along for the ride and feel free comment on what makes your house a home. Would love to hear your thoughts!
We are Family
First things first, for me personally I am a family gal. Being single, I don’t have the husband, kids and all that yet. I am faithful it will come. So for the time being my family is my Abbie. She’s there when I wake up, she is there when I go to bed. She is my buddy who sits with me on the couch, watching all of our favorite shows and she snuggles with me after a long day. Abbie is family. My human family is also very important to me so buying a home very close to my parents and siblings was extremely important. For me it isn’t so much having to live with my family but knowing I can get to them if I need to, just a short drive away, was so important! So when I began searching for my home, this was a very important factor. The other things that had to do with location, was being somewhat close to the freeway. Being easily accessible to freeways is huge for me. As a part-time commuter anything that will shave time off my commute the better. Lastly for location, it was a question of, do I see myself living in this city for a long period of time? Is this location something I can afford? Anyone knows that buying property is a big decision, if you cannot see yourself there long-term, it probably isn’t the right location for you and if it isn’t in your budget then that won’t work either. So once you find a location that meets all of your needs, it is so exciting to start the house hunt!
So to recap here were my necessities on location. I am hoping this article will help anyone interested in searching for a home to buy for the first time…
Location Necessities
- Near my family – no more than 30 minutes away
- Close to freeways – time saver
- I can see myself there long term and it is something that will work for me financially
No, this isn’t a picture of my Abbie, but just a cute picture of someone’s family welcoming them home.
Community
What do you look for in a community? For me, I had to take a trip to local Farmers Market on a busy Saturday to get the feel of the community. Were these people I could see myself meshing with? Are there people close to my age? It is important to get a feel for the community because you should go out and make friends when you are new in a city. Yes! I said it. Go out and make friends! With this world so stuck on our phones, many of us have lost what it means to have real friends. We see our friends on facebook, instagram and whatever social media you have. We feel like we see them and we know what’s going on in their lives, but unless you are calling people, texting people directly, facetiming them or meeting up face to face, the actual community you may be experiencing is somewhat of a false community. The last thing you would want to do is choose a community to realize it doesn’t have people you can connect with, the demographic and lifestyle isn’t what you expected. Spend a day in the downtown area, checking out the town, local coffee shops and parks to again get a feel for the community. Once you feel you have found a city that meets your idea of community and you have moved in, find meet ups groups, similar interest groups or even a local church. As a Christian, I was raised around church groups called Small Groups. These are usually gatherings for people in a church community and I saw my parents build a lovely community this way. It is definitely the way I will look for a community to call my own!
Housing Types
Abbie and I were on a search for a single family home. I was looking for a neighborhood where I can take Abbie for a walk in the morning or right before sunset. One that was filled with other 30 something single working folks who might want to enjoy a cup of coffee together one day. Neighborhoods are probably not the first on the list when it comes to single people, but I have long term on my mind, remember? By having a single family home I will be able to host functions for my church groups and meet ups because I will have the space! Perfect. I also wanted a yard for my Abbie. So began the search for our home. I couldn’t wait, we had nailed a city down (which I am keeping private) that was close to my parents and siblings, a place I could see myself longterm and could financially make work … and lastly it had a community I could see myself in! These are all major things I needed when finding a home. Family, friends, community and my Abbie are all important factors that were going to make my house a home.
Look at these cuties … I bet they make someone’s house a home!
Let’s do a full recap:
Making A City My Home
As I write this article, I realize it is much more than about the house. It was about making the city my home. Here are my necessities on making a city my home:
- Near my family – no more than 30 minutes away
- Close to freeways – time saver
- I can see myself there long term and it is something that will work for me financially
- Sense of community that I am looking for, people my age with same interests
- Are there meet up groups, same interest groups and local churches I can see myself joining
After almost a year of searching we found the perfect home. Abbie and I are enjoying our morning walks and we play in the yard. We are walkable to downtown, so we take walks in and sit outside the coffee shops while she sips on water. I am currently checking out churches and meet ups groups. Community here I come!!!!
Tell me about what makes a house a home for you? I would love to hear! To read about my story, click here.