How many bedrooms, baths, extra rooms, and square feet do you actually need in your new home?

With today's low interest rates you may be able to buy a much larger or much more extravagant home than you'd been considering. But should you?

First think about how you'll use the home.

Do you have enough furniture to fill 2 or 3 extra rooms – or to fill extra-large sized rooms? And what about those extra rooms? Do you really need a wine cellar? Will you actually use the office or the exercise room? If you'll use them, you should go for it. But if they'll sit empty, they'll become "junk repositories" and a drain on your resources.

So before you choose, consider your lifestyle and what you'll actually use and enjoy.

Then think about the amount of time and money you'll need for upkeep on that home. The larger the home, the more there is to clean and to maintain.

Start with cleaning. If you're a do-it-yourself house cleaner, how much time do you want to devote to vacuuming, dusting, and scrubbing? How much time do you have to devote to those tasks? Will it be a family responsibility, or will one family member start feeling put-upon?

If you don't have the time to keep up with a large home, can you afford to hire someone to come in every few days? Do you even want someone working in your home? I know many people who say "It would be so nice to have a cleaning lady, but… I don't want some outsider going through my closets and drawers when I'm not home."

And then there's maintenance. Every home needs it from time to time – and the more house you have, the more maintenance will be required. Unless you're a skilled "do-it-yourselfer" you'll need to pay someone to do those routine tasks.

So think about it. How many bedrooms, baths, extra rooms, and square feet do you actually need in your new home?

Whatever your answer, I'll be pleased to help you find it. Call me!