First Home: Prioritize Location or Building Size?

1. Location Will Affect Your Daily Routine

Try to imagine living in that house for 5–10 years.

Every day you will have to:

• Go to work
• Shop for necessities
• Take the kids to school if you have a family
• Go to school
• Access healthcare facilities
• Meet family or friends

If the home's location is too far, travel time and costs can increase every day.

For example, a larger house might mean you have to travel an extra 30 minutes each way.

In a day, that can become:

1 extra hour of travel.

If done almost every working day, the time spent can be enormous.

So, when choosing your first home, don't just calculate the house price.

Also calculate the cost and time of living in that location.

2. A Larger House Is Indeed More Comfortable, But...

A larger building size gives you more space for activities.

You might get:

• More bedrooms
• A larger family room
• A work space
• Storage area
• A more spacious kitchen
• Room to grow when the family expands

This is certainly an advantage.

But a larger building size can also mean a higher purchase price and higher maintenance costs.

A 120 m² house requires different maintenance costs than a 60 m² house.

So don't just ask:

"What size house do I want?"

But:

"How much space do I really need?"

3. Don't Pay for Space You Won't Use

This is one of the fairly common mistakes.

For example, you buy a large house because you want to have lots of space.

But after living there:

• One bedroom is rarely used
• The large room is rarely used
• Many areas become places to pile up stuff
• Electricity and maintenance costs increase

In the end, part of the house's size that you bought doesn't provide proportional benefits.

For a first home, it's better to determine your needs first.

Not chasing maximum size, but finding a size that's enough to live comfortably.

4. A Good Location Doesn't Have to Mean Downtown

"Strategic location" doesn't mean it has to be in the city center.

What needs to be considered is strategic for your life.

For example:

You work in a certain area.

Then a house with easy access to your workplace can be more relevant than a house that's closer to the city center but far from your routine.

Pay attention to:

• Access to main roads
• Travel time to work
• Transportation
• Schools
• Hospitals
• Minimarkets
• Commercial areas
• Road conditions
• Potential for area development

So the definition of a strategic location can actually differ for each person.

5. Building Size Can Be Changed, Location Cannot

This is one reason location often becomes an important consideration.

The interior can be renovated.

Bedrooms can be added if the land and regulations allow.

The kitchen can be enlarged.

Rooms can be rearranged.

But you can't move the house to another location.

Therefore, when the budget is limited, seriously consider the things that are hardest to change after buying.

However, that doesn't mean you should always choose the best location and sacrifice your space needs.

There still has to be a balance point.

6. When Is Building Size More Important?

There are certain conditions when building size actually needs to be the priority.

For example, if you:

Already have a family

You might need more bedrooms and activity space.

Work from home

A comfortable work space can be a necessity, not just an extra.

Have elderly parents living with you

Space and accessibility needs can change.

Plan to have children

Space needs for the next few years need to be considered from the start.

So, don't follow the principle:

"Location is always more important."

Because everyone's needs are different.

7. Use These Questions Before Choosing

If you have two house options with a similar budget, try comparing:

House A

Smaller
Closer location
Easier access
More complete facilities

House B

Larger
More distant location
Longer travel
More limited surrounding facilities

Then ask:

"Which one better supports my daily life?"

Not:

"Which one is bigger?"

Because a first home isn't just a place to sleep.

A first home is part of your routine for years.

How to Determine Priorities

Try using this simple sequence:

1. Determine your space needs

How many bedrooms are really needed?

2. Determine your budget limit

Don't let chasing a large house make the installments too heavy.

3. Determine your travel time limit

For example, you don't want the trip to work to be more than 45 minutes.

4. Find a suitable location

Only after that, compare building sizes within that budget.

5. Consider your needs for the next 5–10 years

Don't just buy a house for your current situation.

First Home Checklist

Before deciding, try checking:

☐ Location fits daily routine
☐ Access to the house is easy
☐ Travel time is still comfortable
☐ Important facilities available nearby
☐ Building size fits your needs
☐ Number of bedrooms is sufficient
☐ There's room for future needs
☐ Maintenance costs are still reasonable
☐ Installments aren't too burdensome
☐ House condition matches the budget
☐ Location has good prospects
☐ The house remains comfortable for the next 5–10 years

Conclusion

So, location or building size?

There's no answer that applies to everyone.

But for a first home, don't let yourself:

buy a large house that makes your daily routine exhausting,

or the opposite,

buy a house in a good location but too small for your needs.

Find the middle point between:

A location that supports your life + a size that you truly need + installments that are still healthy.

Because a first home isn't about getting the biggest or most strategic house.

But getting the house that is most reasonable for your life now and for the next few years.

Looking for your first home?

If you're looking for property in Semarang, Mirailand can help you compare options based on your budget, location, needs, and purchase goals.

Mirailand — helping you find the right place to come home to.