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About Love and Affection

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408

My clients are wonderful people. They were here a year ago, looked at condos, but did not buy. Came this year with the understanding that market is different and their perfect condo can be a bit more pricey than a year ago.

They increased the price range, thus more than compensating for a little higher prices. A whole new round of showings.

Nothing.

They are even more frustrated than I am at this point. Actually, I am not really frustrated, I am confused. I am confused because I can’t figure out the criteria.

There are no perfect condos or houses. You get some features and you sacrifice some others. It is always what is more important. But there are so many properties and so many features, that it becomes more complicated than World Chess Championship.

We tried logic and common sense, we were always very close, but it was never good enough.

Now it feels like we are as far from achieving the goal of buying a vacation condo, as we were a year ago.

We know though, that time is against us. We know that decreasing inventory is against us.

And I know that future may not change anything in this equilibrium. The choices would be coming from the same buildings they are familiar with, and the only real difference will be the price. Most probably higher…

Because in the whole process there was one thing missing. And this thing is the most important.

It is love and affection.

Love and Affection

Yes, love and affection is the most important part of buying a home or a condo. Everything else starts with it. Treating purchase of home or condo as pure investment and looking at the spreadsheet only is not how you buy a place for yourself. With a spreadsheet you buy investment properties, i.e. where the money is.

When you buy a condo for yourself, you are looking for a place where your heart and soul are first and foremost. All spreadsheets in the world would not help if there is no love and affection…

If you find the condo or a house that made your heart jump, this is it. Then you make sure that you can buy it. Do your inspections, check everything, but love and affection is at the beginning of this process, not at the end.

You have to fall in love, and this is where I can’t lead you.

Listen to your heart.

Image by inoc via Flickr.com

Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

I wonder if there might just be a lack of motivation involved here as well.

Jun 22, 2013 10:48 PM
Sally K. & David L. Hanson
EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI
WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

Love is where you find it...and a large dose of reality sounds  like it is in order

Jun 22, 2013 11:24 PM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Gabe - it feels like overanalyzing

Jun 23, 2013 12:24 AM
Steve and Jan Bachman
RE/MAX Gateway, Reston, Herndon, Ashburn, Sterling, Fairfax - Herndon, VA
Realtors - Northern Virginia

This is so RIGHT ON! We all have had many folks like this. I have one now...you described him to a "T"

Jun 27, 2013 04:02 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Sally & David - thanks

Jun 27, 2013 05:13 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Steve - unfortunately scare of making a mistake outweigh the joy of loving. If you love it, you already won. you do not need to love the flip, but you do need to love the place where your heart it.

And these wonderful people do not know, where there heart is. They are looking for it inn the spreadsheet, and it is not there.

Jun 27, 2013 05:15 AM
Sharon Alters
Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty - 904-673-2308 - Fleming Island, FL
Realtor - Homes for Sale Fleming Island FL

Jon, they will miss a great opportunity if they don't get  in touch with their emotions on this - the market is climbing.

Jun 27, 2013 12:51 PM
Lynn B. Friedman CRS Atlanta, GA 404-617-6375
Atlanta Homes ODAT Realty - Love our Great City - Love our Clients! Buckhead - Midtown - Westside - Atlanta, GA
Concierge Service for Our Atlanta Sellers & Buyers

Dear Jon,

I liked your comment on the "Landlord wants Credit check" post. 

WOW - I see you are a MILLIONAIRE now. Congratulations! In this post, your refer to emotion - well, stronger than that actually. Very good point.

How many times have we (with houses - not high rise) as agents had Clients who insisted that they would never consider a home with "a steep driveway" or with "a large yard" or with "a small yard" and then they buy a house with EXACTLY whatever that feature was!!!!   

Yes, the answer is not just emotion - but passion. As you say - "... love and affection is at the beginning of this process, not at the end."

Have a happy day -
Lynn

Jun 30, 2013 06:16 PM
Wayne Zuhl
Remax First Realty II - Cranford, NJ
The Last Name You'll Ever Need in Real Estate

Good morning Jon - so true! Buying a home isn't just a business decision.

Jul 01, 2013 12:10 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Sharon - this is very true.

Jul 01, 2013 03:25 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Lynn - that credit check for rental paid for the whole term in advance made no sense to me at all.

You used the right word - passion. thank you.

Jul 01, 2013 03:26 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Wayne & Jean - but some people are trying to make it strictly business, and pride themselves on doing it this way. Oh, well...

Jul 01, 2013 03:28 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Lynn - your private email about the wrong use of the word "sink" in describing the heart is highly appreciated. I edited the post, thanks to you.

Jul 01, 2013 05:38 AM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Jon, it is shelter and not an investment, and the FEELING attached to it trumps everything. I do not know where they are going astray in the search other than trying to find PERFECT. You have to remind them over and over again about trade offs. EVEN custom NEWLY built homes are not perfect in every way.

Jul 02, 2013 01:37 AM
Jennifer Fivelsdal
JFIVE Home Realty LLC | 845-758-6842|162 Deer Run Rd Red Hook NY 12571 - Rhinebeck, NY
Mid Hudson Valley real estate connection

Jon what a great observation, love and affection must be present when buying a home .  If the client is lacking in this area, you will be spinning your wheels.

Jul 03, 2013 11:55 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Gary - I once dealt with an attorney, who moved every 2 years, because this is how he could write of the gain. He lived in million-dollar homes, but it felt like he lived in a hotel. It was more like a rental property,not a primary residence... but then it wan't really primary anyway

I did not envy him

Jul 03, 2013 01:30 PM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Jennifer - and this is exactly what happened. A bit unfortunate for me, but really frustrating for them.

Jul 03, 2013 01:33 PM