It's sometimes said that the limitations of a house are what help make it a home. 然而，对于许多人来说，只接纳最好的人进入他们的新住所是一件值得骄傲的事。 你如何在一个有个性和怪癖的居住家庭与一个拥有先进设施的提高生活质量的房子之间找到平衡？ 为了深入了解这个问题，悦博体育收集了六个关键因素，供你在选择和建造梦想之家时考虑：

附近

Surprisingly, one of the biggest factors in choosing a new home isn’t the property itself, but rather the surrounding neighborhood. 虽然新建房屋偶尔会在现有社区涌现，但大多数都是新建的。 环境各不相同，各有其独特的好处。

较老的社区通常以绿树成荫的街道为特色； 较大的物业地块； 各式各样的建筑风格； 方便步行前往公共交通、餐馆和当地商店； 邻居之间的关系也更加牢固。

新的开发项目以更宽阔的街道和安静的死胡同而闻名； 控制的发展; 地面设施较少； 更多的公园; 通常是较新的公共设施（学校、图书馆、游泳池等）。 在较新的社区，通常也有更多的孩子。

也考虑一下你每天的上下班路程。 虽然并不总是如此，但老社区往往更靠近主要的就业中心、公共交通和多条汽车路线（社区主干道、高速公路和高速公路）。

设计与布局

If you like 维多利亚时代, 工匠 or 科德角 style homes, it used to be that you would have to buy an older home from the appropriate era. But with new-home builders now offering modern takes on those classic designs, that’s no longer the case. There are even 现代木屋 available.

你仔细考虑过你的平面图吗？ If you have your heart set on a family room, an entertainment kitchen, a home office and walk-in closets, you’ll likely want to buy a newer home—or plan to do some heavy remodeling of an older home. Unless they’ve already been remodeled, most older homes feature more basic layouts.

If you have a specific home-décor style in mind, you’ll want to take that into consideration, as well. Professional designers say it’s best if the style and era of your furnishings match the style and era of your house. 但如果你愿意适应，那么选择的余地就很大。

材料和工艺

在20世纪50年代后期材料和劳动力成本飙升之前建造的房屋以高级木材和旧世界工艺（硬木地板，老木材支撑，华丽的壁板，艺术造型等）而闻名。

然而，新房子有现代材料和更先进的建筑规范的好处（铜或聚氨酯管道，更好的绝缘，双层玻璃窗户，现代电线，地震/风暴支撑等）。

目前的条件

待售房屋的条件对任何买家来说都是首要考虑的因素。 然而，年龄也是一个因素。 For example, if the exterior of a newer home needs repainting, it’s a relatively easy task to determine the cost. But if it’s a home built before the 1970s, you have to also consider the fact that the underlying paint is most likely lead0based, and that the wood siding may have rot or other structural issues that need to be addressed before it can be recoated.

另一方面，老房子里的机械设备（灯、供暖系统、水泵等）往往建造得更好，使用寿命更长。

户外空间

老房子的一大好处是，它们通常已经有了成熟的树木和灌木丛。 新房的买家可能要等上好几年，才能等到观赏树木、果树、玫瑰、蕨类植物、仙人掌和其他长期生长的植被填满院子、遮荫、提供隐私，并发展成一个诱人的户外空间。 However, maybe you’re one of the many homeowners who prefer the wide-open, low-maintenance benefits of a lightly planted yard.

车注意事项

不管你喜不喜欢，悦博体育大多数人都非常依赖汽车作为日常交通工具。 And here again, you’ll find a big difference between newer and older homes. 较新的住宅几乎都有充足的路边停车位：通常是一个两车位的车库和一条宽阔的车道。 An older home, depending on just how old it is, may not offer a garage—and if it does, there’s often only enough space for one car. For people who don’t feel comfortable leaving their car on the street, this alone can be a determining factor.

最后决定

While the differences between older and newer homes are striking, there’s certainly no right or wrong answer. 这是一个个人品味的问题，以及在你想要的地区有什么。 To quickly determine which direction your taste trends, use the information above to make a list of your most desired features, then categorize those according to the type of house in which they’re most likely to be found. 结果往往可以说明问题。