When my husband and I watch "House Hunters" together you can usually hear us exclaiming in unison at the end of the episode, "What were they thinking?! House #1 was the obvious choice, right?!"
Choosing a home is a very personal and emotional decision. Although it is true that some homes will appeal to a larger number of people based on location, floorplan, and features---in my experience I have learned that no matter how many homes I show, or how well I have gotten to know my client, sometimes a home just makes someone feel warm and fuzzy for reasons that even they can't explain. As real estate agents, sometimes we are taken by surprise when a client chooses a home that is much different than what they had described they wanted. The client is usually surprised as well when they find that their perfect home isn't what they had envisioned it to be.
I often encourage my clients to be open minded when searching for a home. If the criteria is too limited, they might miss seeing a property that is perfect for them. The biggest (and in my opinion, the worst) limitation that I see buyers put on their search is square footage. I have walked through a lot of homes and I know that the floorplan will make all of the difference. If you have a 1200 square foot house that has a good layout, it can have a completely different feel than a home with the exact same square footage, but with less usable space. When looking for a house, know what it is that you absolutely need (like number of bedrooms and bathrooms), and try to be more flexible with the rest. Even if you have a big budget, trying to find a home that incorporates every single item on your wish will end up causing you a lot of frustration.
Finding the perfect house is like trying to find the perfect partner, neither exist. If you are not willing to be open minded and somewhat flexible with your list of expectations, you could miss out on something that could have otherwise made you very happy. When shopping for a home, remember that there is no perfect house, but there is a house that is just perfect for you. Finding a home is more about the feeling someone gets from being there, not the number of square feet.
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