Unless you're building a fully custom home, buying a house means being flexible somewhere. There's no such thing as the perfect home with every single thing you want at the price you want in the exact spot you want. Something almost always gives.
That's not bad news. It just means the buyers who are happiest are the ones who figured out ahead of time what they truly can't live without, and what they'd love but could let go of. So before you start touring homes, it's worth sitting down and sorting your list into two columns: must-haves and nice-to-haves.
Here's how to think it through.
Why This Matters Before You Start Looking
When everything feels like a must-have, nothing is. You end up passing on good homes over small things, or falling for a home that has the fun features but misses something you actually needed. Sorting your list first keeps you from both.
A must-have is something that would genuinely stop you from buying, or something you can't change after closing without major cost or hassle. A nice-to-have is something you'd enjoy but could add later, live without, or compromise on. The trick is being honest about which is which, because it's tempting to call everything a must.
Questions to Sort Your List
Run through these and mark each one must-have or nice-to-have. Your answers will look different from the next buyer's, and that's the point.
The basics
- A fully fenced yard, or just some outdoor space to work with?
- Two-car garage, or do you really need three?
- HOA, or no HOA? (Some people want the amenities and upkeep, others don't want the rules or the dues.)
- Three bedrooms or four? Is the fourth a true need or a someday-nice?
- A main-floor primary bedroom?
- A full bathroom on the main floor for guests?
- Laundry on the same level as the bedrooms, or are you fine carrying it up and down?
- A dedicated home office? And does it need a door you can close for calls and focus, or is an open nook or loft enough? If you work from home, this one is often a bigger deal than people expect.
- Do you run a business out of your home? That can mean more than a desk. Think about client parking, a separate entrance, storage or inventory space, and whether the HOA or zoning allows what you do. Flag it early, because it narrows the search in specific ways.
- Do you need two separate gathering spaces? A loft or a second family room is a real want for a lot of families, a place for the kids to hang out or play that's separate from the main living room. Decide whether that's a must or a nice-to-have.
- Single-level living or accessibility features, now or with the future in mind?
- A kitchen island... and does the sink have to be in it? (Yes, people have strong feelings about this one.)
Your vehicles and toys
- Do you have a service truck or work vehicle you need to park? That can change what garage or driveway you need, and whether an HOA will even allow it.
- Do you have kids who'll be driving soon? Two drivers today can quickly become four. Think about parking a few years out, not just now.
- Do you have a boat, an RV, or a side-by-side, or plan to get one? RV pads, extra-deep garages, and HOA rules about where you can park them matter a lot here in Utah.
The layout and the lot
- If a home had enough finished square footage but no basement, would you consider it? Some buyers are set on a basement, others just want the living space however it comes.
- North-facing or south-facing? In Utah this is a real one. A north-facing driveway holds snow and ice longer through winter, while a south-facing one melts off faster. Worth thinking about if you'd rather not shovel.
- Close to a school, or away from one? Some families want to walk to school. Others want to avoid the traffic and parking that come with being right next to one. Neither is wrong, just know your preference.
- Close to the freeway for the commute, or set back from the noise? There's a real tradeoff between convenience and quiet.
- Income potential? If a basement apartment, a casita, or a setup you could rent matters to you, that's worth flagging as a must-have up front, because it narrows the search in a specific way.
Location and commute
- A short commute to work, and how short is short?
The ones that made you go "oh, that's non-negotiable" are your real must-haves. The ones where you paused are almost always nice-to-haves in disguise.
A Simple Test: Can You Change It Later?
When you're not sure which column something belongs in, ask whether you could add or change it after you buy, and what that would cost.
Paint, light fixtures, landscaping, and finishes are easy to change, so they rarely belong in the must-have column. You can make almost any house look the way you want over time.
What's hard or expensive to change is the stuff worth being firm on: the number of bedrooms, a main-floor primary, a real office with a door, a second gathering space, the lot, the location, the garage size, single-level living, which way the driveway faces, and whether there's room for your truck or toys. If a feature can't be changed without a major project, and you truly need it, that's a real must-have.
Don't Forget Location Is Part of the List
Here's the piece buyers often skip. Location belongs on your must-have and nice-to-have list too, and being flexible here opens up more homes than almost anything else.
Start with the one city or area you'd most love to be in. Then, and this matters, make a second list of cities you'd also seriously consider. In Utah County, being open to Eagle Mountain, Saratoga Springs, Lehi, or a neighboring city instead of locking onto one can be the difference between finding a home with your must-haves in budget and not finding one at all.
Think about what actually ties you to a location: commute, family, schools, a specific community feel. Those are real. But "I only ever pictured myself in this one neighborhood" is often a nice-to-have wearing a must-have costume. Widening your map even a little frequently gets you more of your must-haves for the money.
Put It in Priority Order
Once you've got your two columns, take it one step further and rank your must-haves. If you can only get most of your list and not all of it, which ones win? Knowing your top three ahead of time makes decisions so much easier when you're standing in a home you like but not sure about.
Then when the right home shows up, and it usually doesn't check every single box, you'll recognize it because it hits the things that actually matter to you. That's what a good, honest home search looks like: not perfection, but the right fit at a price that works.
If you want help turning your must-haves into an actual search and seeing what's realistic in your budget across the areas you'd consider, that's exactly the kind of thing I help buyers with.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between a must-have and a nice-to-have when buying a home? A must-have is something that would stop you from buying, or that can't be changed after closing without major cost, like the number of bedrooms, a main-floor primary, the lot, or the location. A nice-to-have is something you'd enjoy but could add later, live without, or compromise on, like paint, fixtures, or finishes.
How do I decide which home features are non-negotiable? Ask whether you could add or change the feature after buying, and what it would cost. Easy, cheap changes (paint, landscaping, fixtures) are rarely must-haves. Hard or expensive changes (bedroom count, single-level living, a real office with a door, a second gathering space, garage size, driveway direction, location) are where it makes sense to hold firm.
Do I need a home office when buying a house? If you work from home, it's worth deciding whether you need a dedicated office, and specifically whether it needs a door you can close for calls and focus. An open loft or nook works for some people, while others need a real room. A true extra room with a door is hard to add later, so if you need it, treat it as a must-have.
What if I run a business out of my home? A home business can mean more than a desk. Consider client parking, whether you need a separate entrance, storage or inventory space, and whether the HOA rules and local zoning allow your type of business. If any of these apply, treat them as must-haves and flag them early.
What should I think about for parking a truck, RV, boat, or side-by-side? Consider garage depth, driveway space, and whether an RV pad is available, and check the HOA rules, which often restrict where you can park a work truck, RV, boat, or trailer. If this matters to you, treat it as a must-have and flag it early, because it narrows the search.
Does it matter if a driveway faces north or south in Utah? It can. A north-facing driveway holds snow and ice longer through winter, while a south-facing one melts off faster. If shoveling is a concern, it's worth adding to your list.
Should I be flexible on location when buying in Utah County? Often yes. Start with the area you'd most love, then list cities you'd also consider, like Eagle Mountain, Saratoga Springs, or Lehi. Widening your map even a little frequently gets you more of your must-haves within budget.
How many must-haves should I have? There's no magic number, but rank them so you know your top three. Almost no home checks every box, so knowing which features truly matter most helps you recognize the right home when it shows up.