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Do Not Make Me Show You This House. Seriously. You Don't Want to Do That.

By
Real Estate Agent with Long and Foster REALTORS (703) 470-4545 0225085927

house with palms and white picket fenceI'm begging you. Seriously.  You do not want to look at that house.

Why not?

Because it's your dream house, that's why.  Heck, it's my dream house.  It's a fantastic property -- and it does not meet your needs.  You have said repeatedly said you did not want to be that far out.  And your husband clearly does not want the commute from that location.  A brutal commute, by the way.

Why can't we just look at it, you ask?  What will it hurt, you persist?  Seriously, you say, you just want to see it.

What can it hurt?

Well, I will tell you what it can hurt.  That house - that perfect house with every detail designed with you in mind - will break your little heart.

Oh, yes, it will.  It is everything you are looking for - and then some - and it's even in your price range.

But it's only in your price range because it is a million miles from everything -- and is NOWHERE, nowhere, close to where you both have insisted you must be.

And once you lay eyes on that perfect, beguiling little house, let me tell you what will happen to you.

You will NEVER be able to shake it, get it out of your mind or forget about it.  You won't even be able to look at other listings in the neighborhoods in which you are interested - and where it is simply impossible for this house to exist - without choking up.  Without tearing up.  You will see pictures of the kitchen in the houses that are available to you and you will cry. 

Trust me.  The tears will come.  Because nothing is going to compare to this one, perfect, unobtainable house.

Once you see THE ONE, you will become determined to find it in another neighborhood, a neighborhood where you said you had to be.  You KNOW if you look hard enough, long enough, that house will appear, in your price range, in the location you need.

And while I hate to be the one to deliver bad news, it simply is not going to happen.  No matter how determined you are, how good you are, how hard you work at it.  

Whether it's a house you know you cannot afford or a house you know is in the wrong location, it never pays to just "take a look" because that "little peek" is going to send you on a wild goose chase that can cost you time, money and lost opportunity.  While you search for the "holy grail" of the perfect house, you may just be passing up plenty of houses that do turn out to be absolutely perfect for your needs, your family and your lifestyle.

When it comes to finding the perfect house, reality is better than a pipe dream. And it's better not to even start the chase.

 

 

 

 

Hal Hovey
VA & FHA home buyers, vacation homes, foreclosure homes - Oak Harbor, WA
Realtor - Oak Harbor Homes For Sale Whidbey Island

I showed it to them anyway.  They spent 4 hours looking at the (empty) house.  We went back 3 times.  They decided not to buy anything, because they knew nothing else could compare!

Feb 14, 2011 02:59 PM
Susan Haughton
Long and Foster REALTORS (703) 470-4545 - Alexandria, VA
Susan & Mindy Team...Honesty. Integrity. Results.

Remax Pro:  LOL...Oh, that goes without saying!  LOL

Hal:  There you go.  There is always the possibility of that outcome.

Feb 14, 2011 03:19 PM
Toni Weidman
Sailwinds Realty - Trinity, FL
20+ Years Selling Homes in New Port Richey, FL

Excellent post, Susan. It is so true that they lose focus and forget that we've told them those things. They seem to think that because they want it so; it will be so.

Feb 14, 2011 11:26 PM
Bill Gassett
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Hopkinton, MA
Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate

The perfect example of why location matters so much in Real Estate Susan!

Feb 15, 2011 12:05 AM
Linda D. Pufford
Stage with Divine Style - Home Staging - Novato, CA
ASPM, Marin/Sonoma Home Stager

Susan,

Fantantic Post!  I really enjoyed reading it and you are such a great writer.  I can diffidently see how this would hurt a buyer... as you said, they would never be able to get it out of their mind how perfect the home was.  They couldn't have a better Realtor on their side than one like you who thinks ahead and is really looking out for their best interest.  I suggested this!

Feb 15, 2011 12:45 AM
Diane McDermott
Realtor®, GRI, Landis e2 Real Estate, LLC - Charlotte, NC
Charlotte NC Real Estate Market

Susan, If homes were mobile it'd be no problem :)  Thing is (most) of them aren't and location is one of those unchangeable factors.  A brutal commute is a prime opportunity every day to regret giving up on the location you knew you wanted in the first place.  Better to not even go there at all

Feb 15, 2011 12:59 AM
Michelle Gibson
Hansen Real Estate Group Inc. - Wellington, FL
REALTOR

Susan - Yep, this is like showing a buyer a home $50K above their price range.  It's easy to go up, but it's almost impossible to go down.

Feb 15, 2011 10:00 AM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

haha :) you kept me hooked in Susan, I wanted to know why not haha :) Great post! and very true, have your dream but, be realistic to what the "universe" provides you :)

Feb 16, 2011 03:06 AM
Susan Haughton
Long and Foster REALTORS (703) 470-4545 - Alexandria, VA
Susan & Mindy Team...Honesty. Integrity. Results.

Toni:  Oh, that is so true!

Bill:  Things change in real estate all the time, but one thing that remains constant:  location, location, location.

Linda: Thank you!

Diane:  Absolutely!  Some priorities just should not change.

Michelle:  Oh, so very true. There is a reason it is priced higher (usually).

Laura:  Thanks!

 

Feb 16, 2011 03:58 AM
Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner
Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA
Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

I'm doing this now...and it's not because they are perfect but because they aren't. They are great fixers, great potential and these buyers can't buy it due to their financing. So sad.

Feb 17, 2011 10:35 AM
Susan Haughton
Long and Foster REALTORS (703) 470-4545 - Alexandria, VA
Susan & Mindy Team...Honesty. Integrity. Results.

Karen:  Oh, I have a couple of those...everyone seems to be searching for a "deal" these days which for one reason or another, just isn't going to happen, for a variety of reasons.

Feb 17, 2011 03:24 PM
Sidney Kutchuk - Realty Works Temecula Kutchuk - Realty Works Temecula
Realty Works Temecula - Temecula, CA
Realty Works Temecula

Susan:  Very tragically true!  I've had this happen here in my area also.   The clients end up saying, I want that house over here!!!

Feb 17, 2011 04:25 PM
Susan Haughton
Long and Foster REALTORS (703) 470-4545 - Alexandria, VA
Susan & Mindy Team...Honesty. Integrity. Results.

Jane:  Oh, yes, they always want "that" house but over here in "this" location.

Feb 17, 2011 10:40 PM
Dr. Stacey-Ann Baugh
Century 21 New Millennium - Upper Marlboro, MD
A doctor who makes house calls.

Such a good point.  Don't want them to fall in love with something unattainable.

Feb 18, 2011 12:20 AM
Sussie Sutton
David Tracy Real Estate - Houston, TX
David Tracy Real Estate for Buyers & Sellers

Susan this is such a great post.

Had I not read it, I don't think I could have put it into words as well as you did.

This thought was in the back recesses of my mind. I didn't speak about it but I knew it.

Thank you... now you have given me the verbiage that I may use to explain to future clients why I will not show them a home that is likely to sour them on any other home they will see.

Feb 18, 2011 02:50 AM
Susan Haughton
Long and Foster REALTORS (703) 470-4545 - Alexandria, VA
Susan & Mindy Team...Honesty. Integrity. Results.

Stacey-Ann:  So true.

Sussie:  Thank you for the nice comment!

Feb 20, 2011 12:55 AM
Jim Frimmer
HomeSmart Realty West - San Diego, CA
Realtor & CDPE, Mission Valley specialist

Isn’t it amazing how people will come to us with a list of exactly what they want in a home, and then they want to see all sorts of stuff that isn’t on that list?

Mar 09, 2011 02:31 PM
Susan Haughton
Long and Foster REALTORS (703) 470-4545 - Alexandria, VA
Susan & Mindy Team...Honesty. Integrity. Results.

Jim:  Oh, isn't it, though? Some days it makes me wish my degree was in psychology!  LOL

Mar 09, 2011 02:38 PM
Dawn A Fabiszak
Private Label Realty ( Denver metro area, Colorado - Aurora, CO
The Dawn of a New Real Estate Experience!

Susan ~ oh, how true this is!!!!  Especially when the house is just above their qualifications.  And it is so difficult to tell them "NO".

Mar 10, 2011 03:58 AM
Susan Haughton
Long and Foster REALTORS (703) 470-4545 - Alexandria, VA
Susan & Mindy Team...Honesty. Integrity. Results.

Dawn:  Oh, saying no truly IS the hardest part!  Even when it is for their own good.

Mar 11, 2011 08:19 AM