By Nick Wilson 
Every estate agent in Romford, Essex, the UK, and the world as a whole is familiar with “the checklist” of must-haves. That is, the list that every prospective buyer brings to the table – listing all of the features and facilities that they want their dream home to have.
The job of an estate agent is to take this list and turn it into a reality – though as both experienced buyers and agents themselves will know, more often than not this list requires some editing and negotiation as you go.
Which is where this blog comes in. In it, we asked our agents which factors on the list they consider to be non-negotiables, and which items buyers should be prepared to walk away from or push down on their list of priorities. The answers may surprise you…
Things To Hold Onto: Our “Non-Negotiables”
As experienced agents in Romford, one of the most coveted towns in Essex which connects residents to both the inner city of London and the rural Essex countryside beyond, we believe that location is one of the key areas that buyers should never let up on. If you, as a buyer, need to be able to commute to London, then moving well away from a local train station is only going to cause you problems later down the line – and become a frustration that ultimately you won’t want to live with a few months or years on.
Another non-negotiable in our opinion is property size, both in terms of the rooms available and the space of the property as a whole including the garden. If you have a family or are planning on expanding your family in the near future and want to retain at least one spare room for guests, then make sure to consider how many bedrooms you need and keep that figure at the top of your list. This also applies to bathrooms and to the need for outside space.
Things To Consider Negotiating
If you find that your must-have list is too long, too detailed, or simply unattainable within your budget, then having a few things to knock off the top of the list is important and can make for a more successful property search.
Open-plan living is something that is very on-trend right now but can actually bring about some challenges, especially when it comes to heating large and expansive spaces during the winter. Rather than insisting on open plan living, look for properties with rooms that are well laid out and big enough to move around in.
En-suites are another luxury that, when you think about it, are not particularly functional – especially if it means family members and guests traipsing through bedrooms to access the toilet or to take a shower.
And then we have conservatories. While you might like the idea of having a sun room or conservatory to spend time in during the summer months, you can just as easily erect a summer house or garden room in your outside space, ticking that box without making your property search difficult.
For more advice on finding your perfect property, and creating a realistic must have list for your dream home, the Keystones team are here to help.