​How to Know If a Starter or Forever Home Is Best for You

Deciding what type of home to buy as your first home can be challenging. When thinking long term, you may wonder whether you want to start out in a smaller home and upgrade later in life, or start out in your forever home. No matter your situation, you'll want to take financial considerations, life goals, and many other things into account before making this important decision.

Benefits of a Starter Home
​A starter home can mean different things to different people, but it is generally a home that you intend to live in only for a few years. Starter homes are often more affordable and require less upkeep, but at the cost of potentially needing more repairs. Buying a smaller home is a great way to help you navigate the challenges of being a first-time homeowner, especially if you have been renting beforehand.

How to Know if a Starter Home Is Right for You
There are many reasons that you may decide on buying a starter home depending on your life situation. Financially, buying a starter home can be the right call if you cannot afford the larger payments of your dream home. Starter homes can also allow you to build equity, giving you more financial resources to put toward your future forever home. If you are just starting out in your career and family life, then buying a starter home may be a natural first step.

Benefits of a Forever Home
A forever home may suit your needs better if you're ready to settle down and grow your family. A forever home will likely be larger and make for an excellent investment, but at the cost of higher upkeep and payments. Still, the advantages of a forever home may be enough to justify the higher costs for you if you are ready to settle into one location with your family.

Reasons a Forever Home Can Wait
If you are aiming to buy a forever home, you'll want to be sure it suits your needs perfectly. Finding a home in a good location with all the amenities and space you desire can be a tricky thing, and you won't want to settle for a home that meets only some of these criteria. If you can't find your perfect dream home now, it may be wise to wait for other options to open up.

Insuring Your Home
No matter what type of home you decide to buy, insurance is important. Is a home warranty worth it? A home warranty can cover any broken home systems or appliances for around $300-$600 per year. Before you decide whether a home warranty is right for you, check your home inspection report for red flags as well as any existing warranties on certain appliances within your home.

Finding the Right Home for You
Finding the perfect home comes down to understanding your own situation and what you want both now and in the future. Once you find the home you'll be staying in, one of the ways you may customize it is through landscaping and lawn care. For homeowners in the Greer, SC area, consider hiring professionals at All Outdoors to create your ideal yard.rd.

Landscaping Your Starter or Forever Home
No matter whether you are in a starter or a forever home, you will want to make it beautifully your own. ALL Outdoors is always happy to help with this. Forever homes may include upgrades such as outdoor patios or fire pits, while starter homes may be smaller additions such as shrubs or a perfectly planted tree. Either way, landscaping adds value to your home!

Thank you to guest blogger, Tina Martin from ideaspired.com for submitting this article to us!