Best House or Best Location? What Nashville Homebuyers Should Consider

Resource Tony Carletello September 16, 2026

It happens all the time.

You walk into a house and love the kitchen. The finishes are beautiful. The primary suite checks every box. There’s plenty of storage, the backyard is ready for entertaining and you can picture yourself moving in tomorrow.

There’s just one problem.
You don’t love where it is.
Then there’s the other house.
The kitchen needs work. The paint isn’t your style. The bathrooms feel dated and the floor plan might require a little creativity.
But you love the street.
You love the commute.
And suddenly you’re faced with one of the most common questions in real estate:

Do you buy the better house or the better location?

After helping buyers navigate decisions like this for years, there’s one question we encourage them to ask:

Which problems can I solve?

That question can completely change the way you evaluate a home.

Start With What You Cannot Change

There are plenty of things about a house you can change over time.

Paint can change.
Flooring can change.
A kitchen can be renovated.
Bathrooms can be updated.
Lighting can be replaced.
Landscaping can be transformed.
Sometimes even walls and floor plans can be modified.

But there are other things you simply cannot change.

You cannot move the house to another street.
You cannot shorten your commute.
You cannot make the lot larger.
You cannot change what sits behind the property.
You cannot pick up the house and move it closer to the restaurants, schools, parks, friends or activities that are important to you.

That doesn’t automatically mean location should win every time. It does mean the things you cannot change deserve more weight in your decision.

Think Beyond the ZIP Code

When buyers hear "location," they often think about the neighborhood or ZIP code. Location is much more specific than that.

Two houses less than a mile apart can offer completely different experiences.

One may sit on a quiet cul-de-sac while another backs up to a busy road.
One may have a beautiful tree-lined backyard while another has future development planned nearby. One might offer sidewalks and easy access to restaurants while another requires getting in the car for almost everything.

When evaluating location, think about your actual day-to-day life.

How long will your commute be?
Where do you grocery shop?
How close are you to friends and family?
Are parks and outdoor spaces important?
Do you want walkability?
How often do you go downtown?
What will traffic look like during the times you actually travel?

A location that looks perfect on a map may feel very different once you experience it at 7:30 on a Monday morning.

Don't Let Beautiful Finishes Make the Decision for You

This is one of the easiest traps for buyers to fall into.

A beautifully staged house with a gorgeous kitchen can create an immediate emotional response.

And that matters. You should be excited about the home you're buying.

But finishes can sometimes distract buyers from more important considerations. Before allowing the countertops and lighting to make the decision, look beyond them.

Consider the lot.
The street.
The natural light. The floor plan.
The size and placement of the rooms. The condition of major systems.
The surrounding properties.
The potential for future development.
And, most importantly, whether the location supports the way you actually want to live.

The prettiest house isn't always the best house to buy.

But Don't Automatically Buy a Project Either

There's another side to this conversation.

"Buy the worst house in the best neighborhood" has been repeated in real estate for decades. It isn't always good advice.

Renovations cost money. Sometimes a lot of money.

They take time, require decisions and can create unexpected expenses.

Before choosing a house because you love the location, understand what it will realistically take to turn that property into something you'll enjoy living in.

A $50,000 difference between two houses can disappear quickly if the less expensive property needs a new kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, windows and major systems.

This is where having a realistic renovation budget matters.
The goal isn't simply to find a house you could improve.
It's to understand whether improving it makes financial sense.

Think About the Lot as Much as the House

One thing buyers sometimes underestimate is the value of the lot. A great lot can be incredibly difficult to replicate.

Consider:

• Privacy
• Topography
• Backyard usability
• Trees and mature landscaping
• Views
• Road noise
• Driveway access
• Outdoor living potential
• Adjacent properties
• Future development You can remodel a kitchen.

Creating another half-acre behind your house is considerably more difficult. When two homes are competing for your attention, the lot can be one of the most important tie-breakers.

Consider Your Five-Year Life, Not Just Today

A home needs to work for your life now, but it helps to think a few years ahead. Ask yourself:

Will this commute still work if my job changes? Could we need another bedroom?

Will we want more outdoor space? Are we likely to renovate?

Could aging parents or adult children affect how we use the home? Would we still enjoy this location if our daily routine changes?

You can't predict everything, and you shouldn't try.

But thinking beyond move-in day can help you avoid choosing a home based entirely on what feels right at this exact moment.

Don't Forget About Resale

Even if you're convinced you've found your forever home, life has a way of changing plans. That's why we encourage buyers to think about resale before they buy.

Location can have a significant influence on future buyer demand. But resale isn't just about being in the "right" neighborhood.

Things such as a difficult lot, unusual floor plan, busy road, limited parking or nearby commercial use may affect how future buyers perceive the property.

A good question to ask before purchasing is:

If I needed to sell this home in three to five years, what objections might the next buyer have?
You don't need a property with zero objections. Those are hard to find.
You simply want to understand them before you buy rather than discovering them when you're ready to sell.

So, Which Should You Choose?

There isn't one answer that works for every buyer.

For someone who values a short commute, walkability and neighborhood amenities, location may outweigh having the perfect kitchen.
For someone working remotely who wants acreage, privacy and a larger home, getting more house farther from the city may make perfect sense.
For another buyer, avoiding renovations may be worth compromising on location. That's why the best decision isn't necessarily:

House or location?

It's:

Which combination of house, location, price and lifestyle works best for you?

And when you're deciding between two imperfect options, come back to that original question:

Which problems can I solve?

The Right Home Is About More Than the House

At Carletello & Co., we believe one of the most important parts of representing a buyer is helping them look beyond what they see during a showing.

Our job isn't simply to open the door and tell you the house is beautiful.

It's to help you think about the property from every angle. The location. The lot. The lifestyle. The condition. The potential. The price. The future resale.