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Searching Homes for Sale in Bucks County, PA? Ditch your "Must Have" Lists

Reblogger Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn
Education & Training with Sell with Soul

In keeping with this week's theme of respecting your buyers enough to let them evaluate their housing options, even if it means - gasp! - being patient while they try on different styles, locations, amenities and floor plans, here's a wonderful blog on the subject by one of my favorite SWS'ers, Heather Oberhau.

Original content by Heather Oberhau

woman throwing papersIf you're searching for a home in Bucks County, PA, you may have your "must have," "desirable," and "would be nice but not necessary" lists all typed out.

 Here's my advice - chuck 'em.

Oh, we've all heard about making your lists.  We start our journey armed with a mental picture of our dream house, and then blaze through home search websites, ignoring the 3 bedroom homes, or those without a fireplace, or without a 2 car garage.  

One of my favorite Soulful Sisters Susan Haughton wrote a great blog, entitled, If Buyers are Liars, then I'm the Biggest One of All.    Spawning a surge of posts by like-minded (and awesome) REALTORS like Kim Brown and Jennifer Allan, we've all decided to nod our heads and agree with each other wisely.  

You may think you know, but you have no idea.

Have you ever had a mental picture of exactly what you wanted?  Maybe it was an outfit, or a piece of furniture, or even your new home in Bucks County?  The subsequent shopping trip is usually a lesson in futility, because you can hardly ever find what you've envisioned in your mind. 

Once you start looking at homes in Bucks County, you'll find that those lists you've made are pretty worthless.  You buy a home, not a house, and that's more than the number of bedrooms, fireplaces, and acreage.  When you walk into a home that works for you, it's an emotional connection, a feeling of "This home is GREAT!"  I've recently compared it to this:  You've always had a thing for blonds, however, you haven't been connecting with any of the blonds you've been meeting lately.  Then, WHAMO!  You meet this smoking-hot, charming brunette,  It's love, baby!

carSo, how do I suggest Buyers search for homes in Bucks County?

  • Get a list of every home on the market in your price range / area.
  • Take a Sunday drive past every single one and cross out all of them that immediately give you an "I don't like it." feeling.
  • Tour the rest.  If it ain't working for you, move on.  Give it a fair shot, but you won't talk yourself into liking a home the longer you stay in it.  You either like it or you don't.  
  • Realize that "I don't like it" is an complete answer.  Sometimes, there is no "because."
  • As you continue to tour, figure out what you like and don't like.  Haven't found a new development you like after looking at 5 or 6?  Then you can probably eliminate them from your search from now on.  They just don't do it for you.
You can visit my website to start your search for homes in Bucks County, PA.  

You also should find a REALTOR who really "get's it."  

(Psssst, click below)

 

 

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Visit my website to search for homes in Bucks County.  


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See you there!

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Comments(4)

Susan Haughton
Long and Foster REALTORS (703) 470-4545 - Alexandria, VA
Susan & Mindy Team...Honesty. Integrity. Results.

Realize that "I don't like it" is a complete answer.  BRILLIANT.  I absolutely love this line!

Jul 31, 2010 03:12 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

@ Susan:  So are you going to be using this in your own house hunt?  :)  It was my favorite answer during mine.  And when asked, why I liked the one I did, I just said, "I don't know.  It just fits."

Jul 31, 2010 06:22 AM
Julia Odom
Select Realty Professionals - Chattanooga, TN
Chattanooga Homes for Sale

"I don't like it is a complete answer" also struck a chord with me. But I have to say, I always try to draw it out of people what they don't like so I can eliminate similar homes. 

Jul 31, 2010 09:40 AM
Bill Saunders, Realtor®
Meyers Realty - Hot Springs, AR
www.BillSellsHotSprings.com

Jennifer,

Thanks for sharing these posts. I have been working with some folks since February, and I really don't relish the thought of how much gas and time, etc...BUT if they are happy in a HOME at the end of the road, it was all worth it (and it is not going to be a particularly large monetary paycheck, but that is secondary to the "satisfaction" paycheck.)

 

Aug 01, 2010 02:41 AM