Finding a place to buy or build your dream home can be very stressful. Sometimes there just isn’t a lot out there for the budget you have and the place you’re looking. This is when you have to be a little flexible with your dreams and let the vision bend and change a bit with the circumstances. It doesn’t mean your home won’t be perfect, it just means you’re open to letting fate show you what you really need and want in a home.

For times such as these, here are tips to finding the perfect place to buy or build your home.

Define the Climate You Want

You might think that you have to have a home on the California coast, but what is the reason for this? The coast pretty much looks the same no matter where you go. Sure the temperature varies, but the view is pretty much blue from horizon to horizon.

If you have dreams of living on a waterfront, ask yourself what kind of climate you want. Do you want a constant heat or do you want to enjoy all four seasons with a view of the open sea? Answering these questions will help you determine whether your dream home is located in Cali, Florida, Alaska, on the Great Lakes somewhere, or simply on a small pond somewhere in the Northwest wilderness.

Are You Close to Family?

Family is a huge factor in deciding where you are going to buy or build your home. Are you close to your family? Do you want to be near them or far away from them? As much as you may think you can bear to live long distances from the ones you love and the family in which you were born into, you might be wrong.

Asses this area in your life closely before settling on a destination. A vacation home in a beautiful paradise might be a nice compromise to living far away from the ones you love for large portions of the year. For others, they might not care less. It all depends on your individual situation.

What Does the Area Offer?

Chances are good that you’re not going to be spending your time in your new home sitting on the rocking chair on the front porch. You need an area that is going to be suitable to fit the needs you have in life. If you love horseback riding, choose a place that will accommodate that. If you love to ski, move to a place that is near the mountains.

This also will include career opportunities, as well as views and political tendencies of the area. It might not be a huge deal, but it all has a factor in whether or not the destination you choose is perfect for you to build or buy your dream home. Think hard on it and make don’t rule anything out too quickly to make the right decision.