the list, and when to stray

What do you want from your house? Do you want space for a garden, or an urban condo? A basement where your punk band can practice? An old bungalow, or new construction?

If you're like most people, you probably won't end up with everything you're dreaming of. The utopian eden you're imagining might elude your grasp, and your budget. But I believe that an open mind goes a long way, and your imagination does, too. And also, there are things you may want that you don't actually need. Have you noticed that sometimes less is more, though? It really is. And things we may nitpick in the beginning often fade into the background. Like for instance, the house I currently live in has a really weird bathroom sink, so I brush my teeth in the kitchen. And the top rim of the kitchen sink sits at about mid-thigh level, so when I brush my teeth or wash my dishes, I have to hunch over as though I've got severe kyphosis. I don't even think about that stuff anymore, though (well, not too much). I've gotten the hell over it.

I have a list, but it changes all the time. I've got a feeling that the list won't really matter when I find the house that seems like home. The home will show up, and it will fit me, and I will fit it, and it will work.

Still, lists are fun. And necessary, in some ways. If you don't know the basics of what you're looking for, there may be so many choices that the hunt will overwhelm you. Maybe there is some really particular thing you absolutely MUST have... like good water pressure in the shower. My friend S listed this as the top qualification in potential properties as she and her husband hunted down their current house. You're allowed to have some quirks.

So because they're fun, and since I'm into daydreaming, and since I've got a few minutes, I'll write my own fantasy list:

Early 1900's, small, well-built wooden house (preferably craftsman)
Off-street parking
Insulation
Garage for possible studio conversion for my practice... eventually
2-3 bedrooms
1200-1700 square feet
Good light
Walkable neighborhood, near an off-leash dog park and a coffee shop, close-in
Kind, relatively quiet neighbors
Wood floors
Solid plumbing and electrical systems
Washer and Dryer hookups
Character and potential
Bathtub
No tacky, cheap, flip-style recent remodels
No electric baseboard heating

That's it. The dream list.