Potential homebuyers may find themselves more excited about purchasing their new home than they’ve been about any other expenditure.

Well, they’re on to something. Experts say they should be enthused – and also introspective – before buying a home.

“Environment psychologists” – experts from a relatively new field linking architecture, psychology and neuroscience – are learning that places, particularly homes, have an impact on our moods and happiness.

And, it’s not necessarily grand and expensive features that make us feel comfortable and content.

It may be the morning light that streams through the kitchen window, a stately tree in the yard or a dormer that reminds one of a childhood bed-room. How-ever, “Most of us are not aware of the extent a home influences us,” explains Kathryn Anthony, an architecture professor at the University of Illinois.

“We think of our emotions as stemming from events and other issues, but in fact our environment can have an exacerbating or mitigating impact on our moods” Anthony notes.
Here are pointers on how to discover your new, happy home:

• Conduct an ‘Audit’
Buyers probably already have a wish list for a new home; maybe it includes a master suite or an office. But when it comes to comparing properties that meet prerequisites, they’ll also want to appraise mood-related elements like light and outside views, Anthony says. For about a week, buyers should pay attention to how they’re feeling at home, and jot it down, she suggests. Do you feel irked looking at your neighbors’ garbage cans from your kitchen window? Like to have breezes by opening windows on both sides of your bedroom?

Light is one of the most critical elements. “Light can make a space feel good,” says Martin van Koolbergen, an architect in El Segundo, Calif. If you cherish natural light at certain times or in certain rooms, you’ll want to ensure windows have the right exposure.

• Remember Past Pleasures
Often, homes we had in childhood influence our reactions to current dwellings, notes Dr. Esther Sternberg, author of “Healing Spaces: The Science of Place and Well-Being” (Belknap Press, 2009). Right after she bought her home, Sternberg visited her mother, who requested pictures of their family home. “Looking at the photos, I realized how much the home I bought was like hers.”

Reflecting on home memories can inspire the evaluation of new properties. Buyers probably won’t find a replica but the possibility to recreate the mood. For instance, Dr. Sternberg says that her mother put in sliding glass patio doors to get sun. “I installed French doors near the deck.”

• Look – Again and Again
It takes introspection to discover what you really value about where you’ve lived, so buyers need to slow down and really look at properties.

“Visit at different times of day,” says Anthony. You can then see the home at different light levels, and look out the windows for the views and neighborhood activity at various hours.

Also, ask your agent if he’ll wait for you, allowing you to walk through rooms alone, Anthony suggests. “When someone is hovering near you, you won’t be able to evaluate as well.”

Adds Paula Miller, a vice president for the National Association of REALTORS®: “When I know someone is really interested, I often tell them that I’ll walk outside to make a call so that they can look.”