Know What You Need: Step 3 – Defining Your Home Search Criteria
Home Buying Series | Week 3 of 8 | January 2026
You’re pre-approved for your mortgage and have assembled your professional team. Now comes one of the most important steps in your homebuying journey: clearly defining what you’re looking for in a home. Creating a structured list of must-haves versus nice-to-haves will save you time, reduce stress, and help you make confident decisions when the right property becomes available.
Why a Home Search Checklist Matters
House hunting without clear criteria is like grocery shopping when hungry—you’ll be tempted by everything you see and likely make decisions you’ll regret later. A well-defined checklist provides focus, prevents emotional decision-making, and ensures you don’t waste time viewing properties that don’t meet your fundamental needs.
According to industry research, homebuyers typically view between 10 and 15 homes before making an offer. Without clear parameters, that number can increase significantly, leading to decision fatigue and confusion. A structured approach to defining your criteria helps you efficiently narrow options and identify the right home faster.
The 80/20 Rule: Finding a home that meets 100% of your wishlist is extremely rare. Real estate professionals use the 80/20 rule as a guideline—if a home has 80% of what you need and 20% of what you want, it’s likely worth serious consideration.
Understanding the Three Categories
Must-haves are the critical features you absolutely cannot live without. These are deal-breakers that, if absent, eliminate a property from consideration regardless of its other attributes. Must-haves typically involve features that would be impossible or extremely expensive to change.
Examples: Minimum number of bedrooms for your family size, location within specific school districts, single-family home versus condo, wheelchair accessibility requirements, specific commute distance to work, adequate parking for your vehicles.
Nice-to-haves are features that would enhance your living experience but aren’t essential for day-to-day life. These are items you’re willing to compromise on, especially if they can be added or modified later. Nice-to-haves often involve aesthetics, upgrades, and amenities that add comfort or convenience.
Examples: Updated kitchen with modern appliances, hardwood floors throughout, finished basement, swimming pool, smart home technology, walk-in closets, fireplace, specific architectural style.
Don’t cares are features that simply don’t matter to your lifestyle. Identifying these helps you avoid being distracted by irrelevant property characteristics during your search.
Examples: If you work from home, commute time doesn’t matter. If you don’t have vehicles, parking isn’t a concern. If you prefer low-maintenance living, extensive landscaping or large yards may be undesirable rather than appealing.
Key Categories to Consider
Location and Neighborhood
Location impacts not only your daily life but also your home’s future resale value. Consider proximity to work, schools, shopping, healthcare, and family. In Juneau County, buyers often choose between the amenities and tourism infrastructure of Wisconsin Dells versus the quieter, more affordable communities like Mauston, New Lisbon, or Necedah. Each offers distinct advantages depending on your lifestyle preferences.
Property Type and Size
Determine whether you prefer a single-family home, condominium, townhouse, or rural property. Consider square footage needs based on your household size and lifestyle. Remember that property type influences ongoing maintenance responsibilities and costs.
Bedrooms and Bathrooms
The number of bedrooms and bathrooms significantly impacts home functionality and value. Consider current needs plus future plans. Do you need a home office? Guest room? Space for growing children? A general guideline suggests one bathroom for every two bedrooms for comfortable living.
Condition and Age
Decide whether you prefer move-in ready homes or are willing to tackle renovations. Newer homes typically require less immediate maintenance but may cost more upfront. Older homes can offer character and affordability but may need updates to major systems like roofing, HVAC, plumbing, or electrical.
Outdoor Space
Consider yard size, landscaping maintenance, and outdoor living areas. Families with children or pets often prioritize fenced yards, while others may prefer low-maintenance landscaping or none at all.
Storage and Parking
Evaluate garage space, driveway parking, basement storage, and closet capacity. In Central Wisconsin, many buyers prioritize attached garages for winter weather protection and additional storage for recreational equipment.
Creating Your Personalized Checklist
Step 1: Start with a Brain Dump
List everything you want in a home without filtering or categorizing. Include features, locations, amenities, and any other considerations. Don’t hold back—this initial list captures your complete wish list before reality sets in.
Step 2: Evaluate Your Current Living Situation
What do you love about where you currently live? What drives you crazy? Past living experiences provide valuable insight into what truly matters to you versus what sounds good in theory. If your current kitchen layout frustrates you daily, prioritize a functional layout in your search.
Step 3: Consider Your Timeline
How long do you plan to live in your next home? Research shows that the typical homeowner stays in a single-family home for approximately nine years. If you’re buying a starter home with plans to upgrade in five years, your must-haves may differ from someone planning to stay long-term. Short-term buyers might accept a smaller home, while long-term buyers should consider future family growth.
Step 4: Assess Realistic Modification Potential
Can a want become a reality through renovation? Cosmetic updates like paint, flooring, and appliances are relatively simple and affordable to change. Structural modifications, room additions, or major system replacements are expensive and complex. Understanding what’s changeable helps you prioritize appropriately.
Step 5: Categorize and Prioritize
Go through your brain dump list and assign each item to must-have, nice-to-have, or don’t care categories. Then rank your must-haves in order of importance. This hierarchy becomes critical when evaluating properties and making compromises.
Step 6: Align with Budget Reality
Your pre-approval amount sets your maximum budget, but your must-haves must be realistic within that budget. Work with your real estate agent to understand what your budget buys in your desired Juneau County communities. You may need to adjust expectations based on current market conditions.
Expert Tip for Central Wisconsin Buyers
In rural Central Wisconsin communities like Elroy, Wonewoc, and Lyndon Station, buyers often find more square footage and land for their budget compared to Wisconsin Dells or Mauston. However, consider trade-offs like longer drives to shopping and services. Your must-have list should reflect what matters most for your daily lifestyle.
Working with Your Real Estate Agent
Your completed checklist is an invaluable tool for your real estate agent. Share your categorized list early in the process so your agent can set up targeted property searches that match your criteria. As you view homes, your priorities may shift—communicate these changes immediately so your agent can adjust the search accordingly.
An experienced local agent familiar with Juneau County markets can provide realistic feedback on your checklist, helping you understand what’s achievable within your budget and identifying potential compromises you may not have considered. Your agent becomes your partner in balancing your wish list with market reality.
When to Compromise and When to Stand Firm
Homebuying inherently involves compromise. Very few buyers find a home meeting every single criterion. Understanding when to be flexible and when to hold firm is crucial.
Stand Firm On: Safety concerns, major structural requirements, location within required school districts, accessibility needs, and features that would be prohibitively expensive to add or change.
Consider Compromising On: Cosmetic features like paint colors, flooring, and fixtures that can be updated affordably. Outdoor landscaping that can be modified over time. Appliance upgrades that can be made gradually. Minor layout preferences that don’t affect functionality.
Reassess Carefully: If a property lacks multiple must-haves, it’s likely not the right fit. However, if a home is perfect in nearly every way but lacks one must-have, consider whether that item could truly be a nice-to-have instead. Sometimes viewing actual properties helps clarify what’s genuinely essential versus what seemed important in theory.
Ready to Define Your Home Search Criteria?
Let’s work together to create a targeted home search strategy that matches your must-haves with available properties in Mauston, New Lisbon, Wisconsin Dells, and throughout Juneau County. With my local expertise and understanding of Central Wisconsin markets, I’ll help you find a home that truly fits your lifestyle and budget.
Next Week: Step 4 – Beginning Your Home Search and Attending Showings
Liz Walker Real Estate 