Whether you are looking to buy or rent, moving into a new home can seem like a daunting challenge. Most people start with a list of things they want in a new home, and then ask themselves, or get asked by a broker, “What can you afford?”
But this article from Joshua Becker on Forbes.com suggests that is not the right question to ask. Instead, ask “What do I actually need in a home?” and go from there. When you start with what you can afford, you are setting the high end of your price range, which gets you looking in that range. Instead you should start with your needs and try to find something less expensive that satisfies them.