Finding a home can either be fun or a nightmare, depending on both your outlook, your requirements, and the market conditions. Thinking clearly about what you want and what are the essential criteria to you in advance will swing it towards the fun end of the spectrum. People who are looking for a holiday home will have different requirements to a couple with school age children, who in turn will have different needs to people looking for somewhere to live in retirement. Recognising and listing your preferences will help both your estate agent to show you relevant homes, and also help you with your decision making process.

Lets look at houses in Kendal as an example. Living in Kendal has many attractions. The town is on the edge of The Lake District, with it’s wonderful scenery, and outdoor pursuits such as sailing, fellwalking, swimming, diving, climbing, hang gliding, and when the winters are cold enough, skating. Houses in Kendal are largely built of stone, very durable and attractive, and good at retaining heat as the walls are so thick. The town is often known as ‘The Auld Grey Town’, which doesn’t sound very attractive, but when you see it in the flesh you realise how fascinating it is ,and how much history it has. Indeed Katherine Parr, one of Henry VIII’s few wives who didn’t lose her head, was born at Kendal Castle, the daughter of Sir Thomas Parr. If you are looking for a more modern house, then Kendal is well served with those also. There are plenty of housing estates with a range of semi detached and terraced houses available at very reasonable prices.