I don't know about you, but when I am re-telling a story, or putting words into my dog's mouth, I hear voices. My dog often sounds like Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, as he is hunting small animals in the yard...my cats sound like the characters from Beauty and the Beast, as they jump around the livingroom. And unfortunately, my significant other takes on the voice of Goofy, when he is talking about the skill over other drivers.
What does this have to do with Real Estate, you ask? As a buyer, you will see many houses, and the information is overwhelming. The voices all around you will give you advice, starting with Grandpa Joe("This is going to cost a fortune to heat, with all these darn vaulted ceilings") to Aunt Mary("Will the diningroom hold all of us for Thanksgiving?") to even little Billy("Will the swingset stay? Can I climb that tree? Are we done yet?") And yes, your agent's voice will chime in too("This _could_ be termite damage, but I am not an expert on termites...you would need to get a pest control guy to tell you to be certain")
The voice that really matters is the one inside you- so as you are looking at homes, ask yourself these questions and really listen to your voice- it is sometimes in your brain, sometimes in your gut, and most of all, in your heart. I'm going to put aside the brain part for now, because the brain voice comes up with justifications and arguments a lot of the time.
1. Do I like/love/hate where the house is? Not only the part of town, but the part of the street/proximity to neighbors/barking dogs/parks/schools/work?
2. Am I willing to drive farther to get to important places because I love this location?
3. All houses need work- can I manage the scope of repairs that are needed here? If not, who do I know that can help- either with the work itself, or with referrals to skilled craftsmen?
4. Does the house feel "right"? Can you see yourself here? I'm not talking about the size of rooms- please, unless you are either A. Have a 15 foot piece of furniture you can't part with or B. in a contest to see who can have the biggest room, don't get caught up in the measurements- there is so much more to the functionality of a room besides "12 x 11" or "10 x 13".
You are going to know pretty close to instantly, if it is the right house or not. If you can handle the work you would like to do, or not.
And if Aunt Mary will help you take down the wallpaper in that diningroom that will hold everyone at Thanksgiving...or not.
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