Dilemma Fix: Questions to Ask When You Can’t Find the Perfect House

When you watch television shows or vlogs online about house hunting, it seems like finding the one is as easy as pie. You get lots of love-at-first-sight moments as soon as the door opens and the camera pans to different interiors of different houses. But you soon realize in your own experience that the home search is not as straightforward as they say on TV. You may be frustrated at this point, having been to so many open houses, without the luck of finding the one for yourself. If you’ve hit this wall, the best way to fix it is to pause, retrace your steps, and ask yourself these important questions:

Are my expectations realistic?

One of the reasons you haven’t seen the perfect home yet is that you’re expecting the perfect home. In case you haven’t gotten the memo yet, there’s no such thing. There’s no replica in real life of the dream home you have in mind. That concept is unique to yours. In case you see one that resembles your ideal home, there will be a trade-off somewhere. It may be out of your budget range. It may not have the extra bedroom needed for your growing baby, or it may not be in the neighborhood near your office.

The approach to buying a home is to manage your expectations. Lower them if you may. Don’t look for the ideal. Look for the one that will accommodate your needs, including your budget, space requirements, and location target. Check out residential house and lot packages in Cavite; one of them might just suit your needs.

How many homes have I seen?

A lot of buyers today have the habit of scrolling through listings online. It’s easy and convenient. It’s always accessible. It’s also a good move when you’re educating yourself about the property market.

But there’s also a downside to real estate stalking. People stack up so many favorite properties after seeing a feature or two that they like in a certain house. As they collect more favorites and get enticed with pretty pictures, they get confused about what they’re looking for in the first place. In the end, they only suffer house envy. When you scroll listings online, restrict yourself to picking three to five. Be more conscious of the home features you really need, making sure that they’re reflected on every home you’ll pick.

Whose opinions should I listen to?

Another reason buyers can’t find the perfect homes for them is that so many people’s opinions cloud their judgment. Your in-laws tell you not to go for that property because it’s far from them. Your aunt says that the house you have seen isn’t good because it has peels of paint in the kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Your friend advises against getting a property in that neighborhood because it’s not a popular one.

When you have all these things to consider, you’re not going to end up anywhere productive in your home search. Your mind will just be all over the place. There will always be a lot of people telling you what to do when it comes to buying a home, but ask yourself whose opinions matter? Whom do you trust? Remember that at the end of the day, you’re the one who knows your lifestyle and budget well.

If you haven’t found the right home for you, there’s a good chance that one, your expectations are too high; two, you don’t know what you need anymore; and three, you’re listening to so many people. Make your home-buying journey a little easier by fixing these issues. Start by trusting your intuition when too many facts and opinions fail you.