It’s love at first sight. The one that made your heart skip a beat. Maybe it was the charmer, the one needing a little bit of work, or even the one that got away.
No, we are not talking about a love match. We are talking about the house hunting journey. Finding your perfect dream home is similar to the elusive search for “The One”. The more you think about it, the more youโll see the similarities between finding the right person and the right property. Both take time, patience, effort, and even a few heartbreaks before you can settle down with your special one.
๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐’๐ฏ๐ ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ค๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐จ๐ง, ๐ญ๐จ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฉ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐!
1. ๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐จ๐๐ ๐ค๐ฃ๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฃ’๐ฉ ๐๐ก๐ฌ๐๐ฎ๐จ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐๐๐ฉ.
Whether it’s a home or a person, you can only tell so much from looking at photos. Listing photos are like online dating profilesโsometimes what you see isnโt always what you get. There may be houses that look the best in photographs but may be disappointing in person. Whereas those with terrible pictures turn out to have incredible character and bones. The key is to keep an open mind and consider the potential in those with cosmetic flaws falling just a little short of perfection.
Likewise, carefully check the listing descriptions. They could offer hints and tips about the property that you might not be able to glean from the photos.
2. ๐๐ค๐ช’๐ซ๐ ๐๐ค๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐ค ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ค๐ช๐ฃ๐ ๐ง๐๐จ๐๐๐ง๐๐.
Whether it’s a person or a property, you need to do some hardcore background checks once youโve found a potential match. Don’t be deceived by their appearance alone.
Especially before buying a house, there are several ways you can do your homework. Explore the neighborhood at different times and days of the week. Visit nearby restaurants and shops, talk to potential neighbors, and learn about the quality of schools. It is advisable to check the latest crime rates, and look up the history of the house. If something feels off, talk with your realtor: they will be your guide to guarantee you wonโt be investing in the wrong property.
3. ๐๐ค๐ช ๐ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐ฌ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ, ๐๐ช๐ฉ ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ข๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐ข๐๐จ๐.
When it comes to finding the one, you need to remember that no house or partner is perfect. You won’t find your 100 percent match. This is why itโs important to know and understand what you really need versus what you want.
You might be following a set of standards when youโre just starting to dateโtall, dark, handsome, paired with a good sense of humor, etc. Dating someone for their looks alone might be fun at first, but without substance, the relationship wonโt last. The same is true when youโre looking for your next home. You mightโve fallen in love with a house because of its beautiful and spacious porch or a huge backyard, but it doesnโt have an extra bedroom or lacks the storage space you need for your family. If it doesnโt fit your needs, however beautiful it may be, you could end up regretting it later on. This is why you must prepare your list of priorities even before buying a home. When a listing or property is at least 85 percent a match for your must-have list, you might need to compromise with the remaining 15 percent.
4. ๐๐ค๐ช ๐๐๐ฃ’๐ฉ ๐ง๐ช๐จ๐ ๐จ๐ช๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐จ๐๐ค๐ฃ.
Like relationships, buying a house is a huge commitment. Unless your house hunt requires urgency, you shouldn’t rush such a huge life decision. The reality is that it’s most likely going to take time and effort to find โThe One.โ
For starters, viewing properties is very time-consuming, so patience will be your best ally. In many markets, homes are getting snatched up even before the listings are updated online. You might be able to send a purchase offer, but there is lots of competition among buyers sparking bidding wars. This is why it is important to prepare yourself and not get invested too quickly, as it could lead to several house-hunting heartbreaks. There might not be as many fish in the sea because of the current low inventory but trust the process. If youโre strategic with your house hunt with the help of an experienced real estate agent, youโll be able to find the right home at the right time.