Home Buyer Advice: What Home Owners Love (and Loathe) About Their Homes

Every house hunter has a list of "must-haves" when it comes to the house he or she plans to purchase. Which features and amenities stand the test of time?

MSN asked readers what they love most about their current home and what they used to love that "was clearly just a passing fancy."

1. It's not a mansion. According to respondents, it was the small conveniences that have retained luster – like a laundry room near the bedrooms - but the one thing that appears to maintain the most satisfaction are open floor plans with plenty of space - regardless of the actual square footage.
2. Let there be light. Large windows with a nice view can also make up for a home's shortcomings. Home owners love large windows that allow cheerful sunlight in at various times and spaces throughout the day. A great view outside those windows is an added bonus.
3. Comfort-adding features. Home owners love their central air conditioning and modernized heating systems for the comfort and convenient maintenance. Of course, storage is a necessity, so plentiful kitchen cabinets and large closets ranked high as well.
4. Mistake to avoid? One respondent said the mother-in-law suite she was determined to have has created strife for her family. Friends and family that know about the space think it is okay to stay there for extended periods of time. At the same time, when the space is not in use, it adds unnecessarily to heating and cooling bills.

Buying a home is likely the single biggest purchase decision anyone will make during a lifetime. Knowing what types of features people continue to love or grow to hate is probably a good idea. If you are a first time home buyer, try asking your friends who already own a home what they like and don't like about their homes.

If you are already a home owner, what features you still love or would do without if you had the chance to do it all over again? Lets us and other readers know in the comments!