ItÂ's commonplace to try on suits, dresses, trousers or shoes before buying them. People instinctively know they need to try on clothes to be sure they fit, feel comfortable and are attractive on them. What about a home? ItÂ's probably the most expensive purchase youÂ'll ever make. IsnÂ't it even more important to “try on” a home before you purchase it?
What on earth do I mean? Well, itÂ's usual to look for a home in places that are convenient to work and schools. Most folks take the daily commute into consideration when shopping for a home. Why not take the daily, weekly, and even monthly activities of family members consciously into account, too?
Case Study
I once helped a young, single woman named Wendy to find and buy her first home. She worked for Geico, was rising very nicely in the company and wanted a home of her own and the tax break home ownership affords. She asked my advice about choosing, and we had a conversation in which I mentioned many of the sorts of things IÂ've said here. We made a list of what mattered to her. Then we went shopping. We looked at a lot of houses. After we came out of each one, we had a talk about how it measured up to WendyÂ's list.
One of the houses we looked at belonged to the young woman who later became my daughter-in-law. It was brick, all on one level, had a fireplace in the living room, and had patio doors from the master bedroom and dining rooms to an enormous deck with a hot tub. It was beautifully decorated in a sort of “pared down Victorian” style. There was a brass bed, some wicker, lots of healthy house plants, and a few Victorian pieces of furniture that were actually old, family pieces. Silver framed family photos were clustered on top of the piano.
After we emerged from the house, Wendy started down the two steps to the car and then froze in place. She had the oddest expression on her face. I asked what was wrong, and she began to look sheepish and confessed, “That house is so pretty and so nicely decorated, I just enjoyed looking at it and didnÂ't give any thought to how IÂ'd live in it. I just wanted it.”
We went back inside. Wendy still admired what had been done with the house, but decided it wasnÂ't right for her.
Knowing whatÂ's important to you can save costly mistakes. The process of “trying on” a house helps you evaluate whatÂ's important. I think youÂ'll find itÂ's worth the effort.
Raynor James is with www.fsboamerica.org - providing homes for sale by owner, "FSBO", properties. Are you thinking, "Should I sell my home?" Visit www.fsboamerica.org/seller.cfm to list and sell your home for free for one month.
