It’s a common thing to try on suits, dresses or shoes before buying them to be sure they fit and feel comfortable in them. What about a home? Isn’t it even more important to “try on” a home before you purchase it?
What am I talking about? Well, it’s usual to look for a home in places that are convenient to work and schools. Most people take the daily commute into consideration when shopping for a home.
I once helped a young, single woman to find and buy her first home. She wanted a home of her own and the tax break home ownership affords. She asked my advice, made a list of what mattered to her and then we went shopping. We looked at a few houses. After we came out of each one, we had a talk about how it measured up to her list. One of the houses I showed her had four bedrooms and three and a half baths, a fireplace in the living room, and patio doors in the master bedroom that opened up to a pool. It was beautifully decorated in a “Victorian” style with a few antique pieces of furniture and paintings.
After we emerged from the house, she started down the two steps to the car and then froze in place. I asked what was wrong, and she confessed, “That house is so pretty and so nicely decorated, I just enjoyed looking at it and didn’t give any thought to how I’d live in it.” We went back inside to take a second look. She still admired what had been done with the house, but this time she pictured herself living in the house and decided it wasn’t the right fit for her. We went on to “try on” the next house. Eventually, she found the right fit!
The process of “trying on” a house helps you evaluate what’s important.
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