Anna's Top 5 Must Haves in a Home
/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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
