I think I can say that I've 'known' with all the houses I've rented since 1997. That's four. I just knew each time after looking at in some cases only a few, and in some cases hundreds? or approaching a hundred maybe, others.
This time we are buying. It was a little bit different as there was a proper commitment involved, therefore, and also financial input from my wider family so I had to approach it from a POV of what would be acceptable to them too.
I found it within about a month of looking. I'd missed another one that I absolutely loved - just missed it as I didn't know my budget till it had just gone under offer - and was gutted, but found something nearby and it's almost better in some ways. Though I still feel sad about the one we missed. I think this one is better from my family's point of view. We all had to love it or at least like it.
But I do love it. And I knew immediately it was 'for us'. Mainly the street, the location and just the feel of it inside together with a hefty sprinkling of similar-sized-family to us, similar taste in decoration and so on.
Before I have gone for projects often in a very very poor condition and I didn't want my children to be living in a building site again. This one is far more liveable in. But it still is somewhere I feel connected to, I feel it was a gift to us from the universe. And looking around now, still, while we wait to exchange, I can't see anywhere better. Which is good 