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What Don't You Like?

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 311291

When I work with clients looking for homes, I always ask at the end of each tour, "What don’t you like about this property?" Their answers help me understand what matters most to them and whether the home could be a good fit. Some factors, like location, are unchangeable. For instance, if a house is located on a busy street near the beltway and the owners are worried about noise and safety, that's a concern that can't be easily addressed.

 

When we bought our home almost fifty years ago, it was on the same street as our best friends!  There were three things we didn't like. We specifically wanted a ranch-style house, and this one fit that requirement. Once in the house, everything is on one level. Built on a hill, the backyard and front are walk-out levels. However, the garage was at street level, which meant steps to get inside. To address this issue, when needed, we installed a chair glide but that was many years later.

The second item was the awkward stove with the four burners lined up in a row. Using two big pots at once was a fantasy! That was replaced during our first kitchen remodel.

 The third item was that we told our agent not to show us any homes without a fireplace, and he listened. We did buy a FSBO that lacked the desired fireplace.

With my last remodel and addition, I created a media room with a gas fireplace.

For me, my home is perfect! My goal is always to help buyers find a home that is as perfect for them as possible.

Asking ''what don't you like'' is an important question.

 

 

Posted by

Margaret Rome
HomeRome Realty
Broker/Owner/Realtor®

Baltimore, Maryland


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Comments(25)

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Anna "Banana" Kruchten
Retired Broker/Owner - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Happy Sunday Margaret!  And this is such an important question to ask each and every buyer.  It really did help me narrow done the must haves and absolutely don't wants and what can they 'live with and change'.  As for you having a stove with 4  burners lined up......I'm racking my brain on that one.  I don't think I've ever seen a stove like that - as in ever!

I feel the same way as you about our current home that we've had for 28 years now.  But we  would make some changes if we bought another home.  No pool and  not so much landscaping etc for upkeep.  Like you, we remodeled almost on day one when we moved in and honestly it never stops.  I like changes and Gary has grown into really liking them too after all these years. In fact we're shifting things around as I type.  Well he is anyway 😊

Jun 29, 2025 01:20 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400

Anna "Banana" Kruchten

This stove is similar, except mine was gas.

Jun 30, 2025 07:45 AM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten

Never have seen one like this!  Was the design for apartments or smaller spaces?

Jun 30, 2025 09:48 AM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Margaret that is a nice twist to the question.  Instead of asking what you like in a house, asking what you don't like could revel a deeper insight. 

Jun 29, 2025 01:59 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400

George Souto

The question narrows down the objections. Without an objection, there is no selling.

Jun 30, 2025 07:47 AM
Dr. Paula McDonald
Beam & Branch Realty - Granbury, TX
Granbury, TX 936-203-0279

Great advice as always, Margaret. Our clients need to be able to communicate with us so we know just what they are looking for.

Jun 29, 2025 05:34 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400

Dr. Paula McDonald

Always good to see you!

Jun 30, 2025 07:48 AM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

That’s a really good Way to be specific about what you want in a way that doesn’t intrude or doesn’t force the issue! :

Jun 29, 2025 10:25 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400

I agree, it is a comfortable question. Laura Cerrano 

Jun 30, 2025 09:03 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Real Estate Broker

Good morning, Margaret. This is a question I've always asked my buyers. And I also ask them what they did like. I ask this question of my sellers as well so I know how to position the home when I market it.

Jun 30, 2025 03:59 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400

Good morning, Nina Hollander, Broker  

It is a good question for buyers and sellers.

Jun 30, 2025 09:04 AM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hello Margaret - asking open-ended questions is helpful.  Conversations can lead to connections.  And in real estate as well as in everyday life, such things can be important.  

Jun 30, 2025 04:37 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400

Michael Jacobs

  We used to call them 'WHOPENS' cause they all started with what, who, when, etc.

Jun 30, 2025 09:06 AM
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Oswego, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Good morning Margaret. "What don't you like?" tells you more than "what do you like?" if you listen closely. Needs are different than wants. Is it possible to add something later given the structure. Are your clients open minded? So much to learn by the simple question "what don't you like?"!  Enjoy your day. 

Jun 30, 2025 04:48 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400

Wayne Martin 

Let's keep it simple!

Jun 30, 2025 09:08 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Good Monday morning, Margaret.

Thank you very much for sharing your experience and advice.

Jun 30, 2025 05:05 AM
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

Good morning, and yes, this is an important question to ask. As with Anna, I don't think I've ever seen a stove with all four burners in a row. Was it a skinny stove?

Jun 30, 2025 05:24 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400

Kat Palmiotti 

It looked similar to this one, with gas burners. On top, one side was an oven and the other a rotisserie.,                                           

                                         

 

Jun 30, 2025 07:27 AM
Kat Palmiotti

That's kind of cool!

Jun 30, 2025 03:46 PM
Brian England
Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ
MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

That is a very good thing to ask clients after a tour of a home since there are some dislikes that could easily be correct, while others can't be fixed, haha.

Jun 30, 2025 06:22 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400

Brian England, and if they answer, nothing to dislike: 

I ask what a suitable date for settlement is.

Jun 30, 2025 09:10 AM
Leanne Smith
Dirt Road Real Estate - Golden Valley, AZ
The Grit and Gratitude Agent

I always ask the following question: "Does the property speak to you?"

Jun 30, 2025 06:26 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400

That's a good line, Leanne Smith!

Jun 30, 2025 09:11 AM
Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543
Realty ONE Group Advocates 484-237-2055 - Downingtown, PA
Selling the Main Line & Chester County

I once read something that said asking what people don't want is easier for them to answer than what they do want. So asking what they don't like is likely the same thing, it is easier for them to articulate than what they do,

Jun 30, 2025 06:42 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400

Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543

  So true, and I've always gotten an answer to this question. 

Jun 30, 2025 09:12 AM
Chris Lima
Turtle Reef Realty - Port St Lucie, FL
Local or Global-Allow me to open doors for you.

Good Morning Margaret,

This is such an important skill to learn and you highlighted it perfectly in this post.

Targeted questions are a great way to get to know what folks want/need, but it also helps them to prioritize.  

Jun 30, 2025 07:24 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400

Chris Lima

It's good seeing you, and thanks for stopping by!

Jun 30, 2025 09:14 AM
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

Indeed Miss Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400 knowing what clients do not like is as important as knowing what their wants and needs are.  

Jun 30, 2025 09:33 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Good to see you, as always, Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist 

Jun 30, 2025 10:23 AM
Lew Corcoran
Better Living Real Estate, LLC - East Bridgewater, MA
Expert guidance. Exceptional results.

Thanks for sharing such a heartfelt and insightful post, Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400! I really appreciate your honest approach and the way you highlight the importance of understanding what clients dislike. They often tell us what truly matters. Your personal stories add a warm touch, making the advice feel genuine and relatable. Grateful for your valuable insights! 😊

Jun 30, 2025 03:56 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Lew Corcoran 

Thank you! I agree—knowing what clients dislike is key to better serving them.

Jun 30, 2025 04:14 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Margaret:

Asking what buyers don't like about a home can be as valuable as finding out what they DO like. Some things can be deal killers and are not fixable, while others are not the kiss of death in the overall scheme of things. And there may be solutions as you illustrated so well.

Jeff

Jun 30, 2025 05:13 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Thanks Jeff Dowler, CRS 

Knowing what buyers dislike about a home is important. Some issues can be deal breakers, but many can be fixed.

Jun 30, 2025 05:55 PM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

All of these wonderful responses are proving my point that this was a wonderful post that really made us all think about what we might eliminate to make our visions in life more clear.

Jul 01, 2025 11:13 PM