The Sticky Note Hack That Will Change Your House Hunt
Plus: Your Vacation Home Vision Template!
Reading Time: 7 minutes
What does your dream vacation home look like?
Last week, I shared my strategy for deciding where to buy your ‘second home’: The Secret to Picking the Perfect Place For Your Vacation Home. Now that you’ve shortlisted destinations, it’s time to dream about the house itself. Prepare the Pinterest boards!
But before you get lost in listings, I want you to think about what would make this home truly special to you. What are the details, big or small, that would give it that WOW factor? The ones that would make returning to normal life feel… well, almost impossible.
The Sticky Note Method: Round Two
Hopefully you found last week’s Sticky Note Exercise both fun and useful because it’s time to break out another pack of Post-Its. Read through the following prompts and think of everything that comes to mind. Jot down one answer per sticky note:
What do you want in a vacation home that your primary residence doesn’t have? Space, privacy, water access, or something else?
How many people will it need to accommodate? Just your immediate family or a large extended group?
How many bedrooms and bathrooms would you prefer?
What amenities would make this home a dream? A fireplace, pool, hot tub, water access, a backyard?
What’s your ideal design aesthetic? Modern, rustic, coastal chic?
When I started looking for our third property, I was craving water. Water views. Water access. Water sports. Water, water, water. And the Finger Lakes in upstate New York certainly delivered on that. But there were other parameters I had for the home as well. I wanted at least two bedrooms—space to comfortably fit our family of four. And I wanted to be close to the area’s renowned wineries—ideally walking distance. Finally, I wanted to have a bit of space from neighbors, the antithesis of my compact, stacked city life.
Is there anything more calming than this view!? (Photo: The Lazy Oar)
Fake Shopping = Real Insights
Let’s take the dreaming one step further. Browse your shortlisted location(s) on your favorite short-term rental booking site, such as Airbnb, VRBO or Booking.com. Pretend you’re booking your perfect getaway. Best of all, there’s no budget constraints for this fake trip we’re planning! Take note of the features that draw you in.
I mentioned the attributes that I was looking for in a home in the Finger Lakes, but I was fascinated to see the specific details that emerged when I did this exercise myself. It was last winter, and I was planning a real trip to the area for this summer. I wanted to rent a lake house for a week, a true splurge, but it was going to be our first vacation as a family of four (my son was to be born three months prior). I went into my search thinking I knew exactly what I wanted: a waterfront home, with 2+ bedrooms, good wifi and a washer/ dryer. But as I sorted through the search results, I noticed some more specific details emerge that made a place jump to the top of my list:
Bedrooms on the same floor, to keep my young children close.
A bathtub (not shower stall) to make bath time easy.
A small, shale beach gradually leading into the lake for toddler-friendly swimming.
Gates built into deck railings, ideal for safety with young kids.
Lake views from inside the home, in case of bad weather.
Walking distance to a restaurant or a winery.
As you browse, notice what catches your eye. Write down even the smallest detail on a sticky note of its own. Our goal right now is to gather as much specificity to your dream vacation home as possible.
From Dreaming to Decision-Making
Now that you’re surrounded by even more sticky notes, it’s time to get organized. Combine your notes from this week and last, and stick them to the wall in a vertical line. Rank the most important traits at the top and the least important at the bottom. If you’re purchasing the home with someone else, involve them in this process. Debate what matters most and where compromises can be made.
Once you’ve ranked your traits, draw a metaphorical horizontal line:
traits above the line are non-negotiables;
those below are nice-to-haves.
Post-Its as a Love Language
In last week’s post, I shared how difficult it was for my husband and I to start planning our wedding (8+ years ago now!). We were lacking clarity on what we wanted our wedding to look/ feel like, and as embarrassing as it is to admit, this Sticky Note Exercise is exactly what helped us figure it out. We wrote down everything we wanted for our big day on individual sticky notes and then debated how to prioritize them. When we resumed venue shopping, we finally had a clear system by which we could evaluate each space. Any venue that didn’t have all of our non-negotiables was immediately ruled out, no matter how beautiful it was. For those that ticked those boxes, we used a point system for the nice-to-haves, awarding a point for every matching detail available. What started as a big, scary decision turned into an understandable goal, judged by a clear, unwavering set of priorities.
This exercise will do the same for your vacation home. It will provide clarity on what you’re looking for exactly, which will make the search process far less overwhelming. You’ll know what to rule out right away, and your real estate agent will thank you for the clear parameters. For properties that meet your non-negotiables, the nice-to-haves will become your bonus point scale, giving you a quantitative way to vet a big purchase.
A Word of Caution
Let’s face it—this is not only a massive purchase, but a highly emotional one at that. It’s one of the most expensive things (if not, the most expensive thing) that most people will ever buy, and psychologically, it can feel even more daunting to spend so much on a second home, especially if it’s your first investment.
Conventional advice has told us that there’s one “right” way to do things: go to college, get a job, get married, buy a house. But times have changed, in more ways than one, and the traditional path that worked in the past is increasingly irrelevant to today’s homebuyers.
Using this checklist to vet properties will help you approach the decision with more ease and certainty.
Aside from looking for a strong investment, I’m sure you’re also imagining your future vacation home as a place to create lasting family memories, and that’s where the emotion comes in. When you’re ready to tour potential homes, keep in mind that it’s normal to view certain properties through rose-colored glasses. You may see an inground pool and envision your children splashing in it, or picture cozy evenings with friends gathered around a stone fireplace. But those dreamy details can distract you from the fact that the home is lacking other non-negotiables, like enough bedrooms for your family or proximity to town. Your personalized list will help you zoom out, assessing each property against the same set of criteria every time.
One more thing to note about the nice-to-haves: if these details are missing, you may still choose to buy the house anyway. You’ll just need to factor these additions into your renovation budget. For example, I might find the “perfect” lake house, but it’s missing safety gates on the deck or a bathtub in the house. While it won’t get the ‘points’ for those two sticky notes, those are fairly easy things to change. So instead, I’d look for: Does the bathroom have enough space for a bathtub to be installed? Does the deck railing need to be replaced anyway or is there room for a gate to be added? Seeking potential instead of perfection can make your purchase much more affordable.
Create Your Vision
Now that you’ve identified your non-negotiables and nice-to-haves, it’s time to transfer your sticky notes onto your personal Vacation Home Vision template. Map out your dream home on the following free template, and use this list as your guide when your property search begins.
Next Week...
Turn your big dreams into actionable goals. Look out for the Vacation Home Owner Archetype Quiz to determine your priorities and discover your unique approach. Whether you prioritize personal enjoyment, aim for a balanced mix of personal use and income, or wish to maximize profit, understanding your archetype will play a crucial role in shaping your next steps.
Like what you read today? Have a question? Just want to say hi? I’d love to hear from you. Email me at Hello@BuyYourSecondHomeFirst.com or message me on social media @BuyYourSecondHomeFirst. I personally read and respond to every single note.
*The content shared on Second Home First is for educational and informational purposes only. Please consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment or financial decisions.