Chai's Top 5 Must Haves

1. Patio/ Outdoor Living- I am such an outdoor person, and being in Jacksonville where the weather is always so beautiful, I find myself spending most of my time out on my patio. It's a retreat for me! Being able to enjoy nature and feel the fresh air gives me such happy energy. Whether I'm entertaining or just enjoying by myself, it's always refreshing and relaxing. It's definitely my happy place.

2. Spacious Kitchen- Generally, the KITCHEN is the most important room in your home, because it's the center of your family day-to-day living. I love to cook, entertain, and spend time around my family, so having an open space is a must. It's good to be able to chat and see people's faces while I'm cooking. I also like to have my kitchen clutter-free, so a good size pantry would be great!

3. Main Entry- It's great to have space and storage for keys, shoes, an umbrella, etc. I feel having a functional entrance creates a positive flow when coming home or leaving the home. I do love a double door and a high ceiling, it creates an open space for me. Oh, and definitely built-in cabinets to hide stuff would be great.

4. Master Suite- Having my own oasis so important to me. I think your bedroom should be exactly how you want it, and it should make you feel relaxed and happy. It's a wonderful way to start your morning and end your day. Big windows and a high ceiling would be fantastic.

5. Home Office- These days I'm working from home more than ever, so an office space with lots of natural light and facing the woods or lake would be amazing! Of course, built-in cabinets would be very functional.

Anna's Top 5 Must Haves in a Home

1. Backyard views & privacy: I fall in love with backyards before I fall in love with the homes in front of them. I love sitting on my back deck and looking out at the preserve and creek behind our home. It is my peaceful refuge at any time of day. Bonus: tall bamboo like we have along the side fence, so we can enjoy near-total privacy. This is forever my number one, non-negotiable must. 

2. Laundry room on same floor as bedroom: Oh, how I miss this! I took for granted what it meant in terms of accessibility and ease, but having the W/D just a few feet from our bedroom in our first home was amazing! Our current laundry room is three flights of stairs up from the bedrooms, which makes each load that much less convenient. On the upside - I wear a lot more of my wardrobe to avoid carrying the basket up to the mudroom.

3. Natural light: Ask anyone who FaceTimes with me regularly - I never keep lights on. I open the blinds and curtains every morning and stay lit via the sun (and the backlight of my phone tbh) until I find myself sitting in complete darkness. Lots of windows, French doors, and skylights are a must for me! 

4. Hard-wired ethernet + reliable WAP: It feels like everything is connected to internet! With phones, laptops, TVs, security panels, thermostats, locks, and more running on WiFi, the option to plug in directly for faster, more stable connectivity is essential. This is near the top of my list for the next home I build/buy and a great reason to consider new builds, many of which include hard-wired ethernet and WAPs (wireless access points) at time of construction.

5. Workspace in garage or shed: My husband, Dan, enjoys woodworking. He’s built multiple pieces in our home, so having a space in the garage or a detached shed serves both function and joy. Our current garage has a workspace carved out along the side, so it doesn’t block the parking area, which is a huge plus!