Your Dream Home
Seems like everyone has a concept of they “think” they want in their dream home “someday”… Do you? Let us help you dig in to the want Vs need concept and give you some forethought into what might actually “matter” more than some shiplap and gold drawer pulls…. Keep Reading :)
Hi!! We are so glad you stayed to see where we are going with this. The American Dream is a well known driving force all over the world not just in America. If you think about how many people leave their country of origin to follow their dreams to America, I bet we can name thousands upon thousands of cultures, countries, and people. This idea of the “land of the free” and it’s promises has people all over world migrating to the states. Why does this feel so easy to talk about?? Well think about it!! This has been drilled into our brains for as long as I can remember. Start your thoughts here. You are a kid playing board games and you FINALLY are old enough to play “The game of Life”, what’s the goal of the game? Grow up, get educated (maybe), grow up more, buy a car, get married, have some kids… BUY A HOUSE!!! Or how about Monopoly??? Talk about investor mindset right?? These are just a couple examples… Now, enter real life….
So as easy as it is to sit for an hour and plan a strategy about how to win “The Game of Life”, it is pretty much a practice makes perfect mentality that we tend to fall into. Essentially this is what is expected…. WOW… read that sentence again…. yep an expectation that to “keep up” or to “make it” the American Dream is to OWN A HOME!!!
These last few sentences may have you in the tailspin about how this is not who you are , or maybe you’re telling yourself that you’ll never conform, or maybe you are telling yourself some kind of false reality about how this seems so hard to achieve and how it feels so far away. Ha, what a crazy game we play with ourselves inside of our own heads! Let’s clear something up, people, part of the American Dream is achieving goals, easy ones, hard ones, far ones, close ones, and all of the goals in between! The only thing you have to do is TRY!
Ok enough of the lecture :)
Back to buying a home and the world of HOMEOWNERSHIP!! It is not that far off really! The moment you are stepping down the yellow brick road and the time has come for you to buy a home, chances are you have an idea of your “dream home”, where it’s located, what the kitchen looks like, the master bathroom, the giant yard for your future pups and a couple kids… or maybe it’s the penthouse loft in the glass tower with 360 views, stone fireplace, modern finishes, and concierge at the front doors. All I am saying is that more or less you have thoughts preset all about your dream home! Once you are set up with your dream team (if you don’t know about the Dream Team go to our previous blogs for more info!) and you are out looking to be able to check off all of your preconceived boxes, you may find yourself at a crossroads with decision and compromises to make. Want to know why? I’ll let you in on a little secret, these preset ideas of your dream home are more than not things that you “want” not necessarily the things you need. Ouch.
How are you suppose to figure out this fork in the road???? Easy enough, do not fret! Make a list!! It is time to set aside your hours of HGtV and get realistic. For example, you may want that loft in city, but you have 3 dogs and no where to walk them… or maybe you prefer to live south of the city but your work takes you as far North as the state line allows! This is the start of your wants Vs needs list. I am not saying give up everything you “want” not at all!! All we want you to set up are some realistic compromises. If this “thing” (a garage, a basement etc) is not in this home you WILL NOT buy it, these are things you will not give up! If something like a 5 piece master bath can be set a side so that ALL of your other boxes are checked, I would guide you to be ok with the stand up shower with a bench and perhaps later if you wanted the free standing bathtub you can invest into getting it! It will be the take one leave one guidance that we give all of our buyers so that they are successful!
As seasoned Buyers Agents and having worked with a large number of Sellers as well, Armor’s Agents have the skills and tools to teach their clients with winning strategies and can’t stop won’t stop mindsets! If you are entering a hot market as a buyer it is so important that these communication pieces are happening on the front end of your process! We will ask our buyers to list out first and foremost the items on their home wish list that are make or break and by this we literally mean you will walk away from a home because this doesn’t exist in it! Then we will ask for a list of needs, these are the items in a home that you know you have to have no matter what due to a need you or someone in your household has. Finally you will make the want list. This is the shinny, fancy, top notch item(s) that you can probably live without and/or update later on! With these lists in place we will know pretty quick while viewing homes if they will work or not! Also, do not be afraid to change up your lists if you start seeing homes and some of the wants turn into need and visa versa!
When working with our buyers we never want to see them settle especially if we are sure that they are settling. Prepare yourself to have hard conversations and be honest! Keep your eye on the most important parts of the home IN YOUR OPINION, no one else! These “parts” could be the kitchen finish or size, it could be the front door facing direction, or a certain size square footage, 2-3 car garage, location, style (ranch or 2 story), or maybe the yard has to have a garden, whatever it is for you, know and don’t stray from it! Be patient and do not give up!! Persistence is key! Stay committed to the plan until you have reach the goal!
Be competitive. At Armor as one of our Buyers, you will often hear us ask you “if your offer doesn’t get accepted for this home because of your willingness or not to invest $500 more, will you be upset that you didn’t do more?” what does this mean? This is us asking you if this is your highest and best offer. More than not we are able to get our Buyers the home they offer on, but in the off chance that something sneaks past us we want to ensure that we have offered the best and strongest offer and if we do have to move on, we have left it all on the table!
We hope this was helpful to help you navigate what is most important to you while purchasing a home. Truly sticking to the motive that you started with, and leaving nothing to regret in the end is the goal, well, and closing on that home, obviously!! Cheers!
Ready to get going??? Make your lists, and give us a call or email!!
