Homebuyer's Guide

POSTED: Sunday, Jul. 13, 2008

If you're thinking of ... practical vs. dream home

Everyone has a dream home in mind. But sometimes buyers have to choose between stretching outside their comfort zone to land their dream home or compromising on a home that works best for multiple factors in their situation, such as their kids' schools or the need to be near work.

Buyer Tours Realty real estate agent Leah Bunger says people need to prioritize the most important elements of their life when considering a home so they can fine a place as close to the dream as possible.

"You want the layout of a home to be practical for you," Bunger says. "At a certain point in life, people might look for a one-story home to avoid stairs. ... Other people are really focused on living near the school they want their kids to attend."

In the end, every home might have features that don't exactly measure up. Practical elements of life affect every home-buying decision.

Tom Spooner found the best compromise between his dream home and practicality. Spooner, with wife Jill, their children and his father-in-law, moved to Whatcom County from Orange County, Calif., earlier this year. The self-employed telecommunication consultant could have lived anywhere, but loved the Bellingham area's safety and beauty.

Ideally, Spooner says he would choose a large home on the shores of Lake Whatcom. He says if it were just a home for him and his wife, they would likely live out in the county, closer to natural areas and the ski slopes of Mount Baker.

They now live in a newly constructed 4,300-square-foot home that backs a forested lot off Britton Road.

The location was ideal for being in a family neighborhood with easy access to good schools and lots of nearby kids for his young daughter, Shelby.

They also added a bathroom on the first floor for Spooner's father-in-law and plan to add a home theater and workout area in the basement.

"Partially it's our dream home, but we also decided to buy the house we needed," Spooner says.