It sounds like a great listing - in your price range - in the right neighborhood - with features you're looking for. First impressions mean a lot - but you find the bushes are overgrown, the front hallway is covered with tacky foil wallpaper, the kitchen cabinets are painted dark brown, the living room rug smells musty, and the hardwood floors have black water marks on them.

Should you head back out the door? Maybe. But to fully determine whether you should cross this house off of your list you'll need to gather more information, and perhaps look past the blemishes to get a full picture of this house's potential. How do you do that?

Start with emotion, but end with facts. Buying a home is an emotional process. You often find yourself trying to determine if this is where you want to spend the next 10, 20, or 30 years of your life (and perhaps raise a family). It's OK if your initial impression is an emotional one. But because the purchase can be the largest you'll ever make, it is essential that you gather all of the facts necessary to make an educated decision.

Consider whether the price accounts for the current condition. If the cost of repairs is less than the amount of increased value, are you willing to pay for the repairs to reap the benefits down the road?  

Stay Tuned for Step 2. 

David Edwards

Real Estate Agent & REALTOR®

Keller Williams Realty Southeast Sound

425-890-8045

E-Mail: david@davidjedwards.com

Website: http://www.davidjedwards.com/

Blogsite: http://www.davidjedwards.com/renton-info-blog.asp  David J Edwards is a full time real estate agent and REALTOR® with Keller Williams specializing in Residential Real Estate for buyers and sellers in Renton and
Newcastle Washington.