Warning! Don't Ever Invite the Parents to go Along!
This is a great lesson to all of us from Pat Haddad. It just happened again to me a few days ago-even though we know what to do we do not always follow it. Please read more of Pat Haddad's blog. She is full of Wit and Wisdom
Warning! Don’t ever invite the parents to go along!
That is one of the very first lessons I learned after getting my license and joining a company. I was told parents could ‘spoil’ the deal. Well, I always encourage people buying their first home to invite Mom and Dad to take a look after we have found the one. So far it has only backfired once.
I will admit that sometimes it can be a real tongue biting experience. In spite of the statistics showing people move on average every 3-5 years, I find that many people I encounter still live in the first home they ever bought.
Hmmmmm…..Let’s see, my first home...It was a one bath, two bedroom, stucco with a small fenced yard and a half basement unfinished of course. We paid $35,000 for it back in 1973. Try explaining to someone like this why their darling daughter would want to spend $150,000 on a three bedroom, two bath with no basement.
And then there is Dad who has to show his extreme knowledge and protect the young couple from themselves. He will immediately complain about the poor quality of construction. ‘They don’t make ‘em like they used to!’ ‘ You oughta look for something all brick.’ ‘The neighbors are too close—couldn’t you find anything with a little more land?’ ‘ I would never buy in a neighborhood with no HOA—nobody is going to tell me what I can and can’t do in my own home!’ ‘These taxes are ridiculous---they are more than my house payment!’
Pity the poor inspector if Dad tags along for that too!
Then there is the offering process. Naturally the parents know way more than the agent. ‘Never offer full price. Come in at about half price. It’s a buyer’s market!’ ‘ Ask em for that there ridin mower, all of the lawn furniture and the pool table.’ And I am thinking, ‘Please don’t ask for their first born!’
We manage to get it done inspite of with all of the extra help. It is not always easy, but in the end, everyone feels good about their part and confident that all decisions made were good ones.
Pat Haddad, ABR, CDPE, CRS, e-Pro, GRI
Haddad Team, Keller Williams Realty
317-840-7555
Indianapolis real estate and the surrounding areas of Carmel, Fishers, Geist, Morse, Noblesville, Westfield, Zionsville, and everywhere in between! Whether you are buying or selling a home, I'll be with you every step of the way.
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