March madness is upon us - spring is here (and so is the snow), and the NCAA basketball tournament is in full swing. Which is why it seems like a good time to apply the idea of March Madness bracketology to the home buying process.
With inventory at such low levels around Greater Boston, it is more important than ever to have a firm grasp on your 'must-have' list. Your top picks may include a home in a neighborhood with good schools, near public transportation, with four bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, newer kitchen and a fireplace. You may not want to be on a busy road, corner lot or want to do a lot of updating.
While it is possible to find your dream home with nearly everything you ever wanted, chances are you will have to make some sacrifices along the way - great location but far from work? Updated kitchen but on a corner lot? Four bedrooms but no fireplace? These are tough choices and can be eye opening when it comes to filtering through 'must have' vs. 'nice to have' vs. 'no way Jose.'
But how can you predict which items might get cut and which will make it to the final four? As they say, to be prepared is half the victory. For fun, try bracketing-out some of your home buying must-have's. When push comes to shove, (no fouling!) your top picks might surprise you. And having a better idea of your priorities going in to the home buying process could make your new home this year's Cinderella Story.
