If you're looking for a resale, four bedroom home with two full bathrooms, a two-car garage, brick exterior, with a flat lot, walk out basement, privacy, views, character, charm, an open layout, defined spaces, nine foot ceilings, hardwood floors, passive solar design, a screened porch, covered porch, deck, patio and rooftop terrace -- then you'd better be ready to relocate anywhere in the US to find such a combination.  :-)

If you're like the other 99.9% of the home buying population, then you're going to have to make some compromises when you buy your next home -- it won't be perfect in all ways.

But, the question is, which imperfections are you willing to accept?

In showing a house yesterday, I had an insightful conversation with some current home buyers where we concluded it would certainly be more reasonable to buy a home that is imperfect in the size of a few rooms or the finishes of some interior features -- much more so than it would be reasonable to buy a home that is imperfect in the drainage of the lot or the condition or nature of the roof and heating system.

So, when you are buying your next home, and buying an imperfect home -- give some thought to which imperfections you will accept.  Imperfections that you can change later -- or that you will never be able to affect?  Imperfections that are inexpensive to adjust -- or that will require a major investment?  Imperfections that you can easily overlook -- or that will bug you each and every day.