Finding the perfect house is kind of like finding the ideal pair of shoes. You have to try a few on before you purchase. Just like visiting a few homes before you jump the gun! And as with shoes, it’s just as essential to go in with an open mind while touring houses. You need to be available to the possibilities. Maybe you think you need a house with a huge yard but look at a home with a small yard. You discover it’s your dream home, and there’s a fantastic park across the street. Suddenly the yard may be less critical because the park is actually more ideal. It’s good you kept an open mind and looked at that house.
Secondly, you need to know what’s important to you in a house… just like a shoe, right? Are you looking for the pretty features and the latest and greatest details? Or is functionality more critical? It’s not to say you can’t have both, but perhaps a house has been newly remodeled to look magazine-worthy. Still, no matter how you picture it, there is no place for your oversized kitchen table. (You could forcibly buy a smaller table, but then where would the in-laws sit when they visit?? (Knowing the garage is probably [I say that loosely] not an option. And who needs a pretty gold swoosh on your shoes if the shoe is too narrow?
Also… Enjoy the process! If you’ve done your homework and have the basics figured out… like knowing if you need to be close to schools, how much you afford, and (most importantly!) having the right realtor who will help you through the whole buying process.
I needed to remind myself to enjoy buying a different shoe brand… because this new shoe will ultimately be better for me. My beloved Asics had carried me through years of running. We had done marathons together, traveled together, and just like that, it was over. But I remembered to enjoy finding the right shoe for me. It was all about functionality and keeping an open mind to the possibilities.
So just remember, whether it’s buying a pair of shoes or buying a house, it’s basically the same thing.