Nope. That’s Not the One

People come to me for help finding and purchasing a home. They’ve usually heard about me through one of my past clients who purchased a home with my assistance. What they don’t realize is that a majority of my time is spent telling people NOT to buy homes.

I’ve had clients, and their parents and friends look at me with a weird expression on their faces when I’ve answered their questions about bidding with “Nope. That’s Not the One. Let’s Keep Looking”

That may sound weird to you, but it is a common practice at Hollish Hill Group. We are committed to Honesty, Integrity, and Service that Cannot Be Better. Our focus is on helping buyers find the best homes, at the lowest prices, with the best terms for their personal wants and needs. Analyzing properties up front is the important first step in our process.

You may be wondering why I had to say, “Nope, that’s not the one.”  Why would a buyer fall in love with the wrong home? There are many reasons buyers want to put in an offer on a home that is probably not the one. Here are a few I’ve encountered:

1) It’s really pretty – Sellers who know what buyers like are going to make their home look fresh, de-cluttered and clean. Flippers put in cheap versions of very modern fixtures, features and appliances. Many buyers are attracted to these homes where everything looks new and move-in ready.

2) It’s better than my rental – First time home buyers are often renters whose past home searches were based on the rental market. In the DC Metropolitan Area, the rental market includes a lot of properties that have not had a lot of maintenance or upgrades. First time home buyers see a home that is prepared to be sold and it looks a lot nicer than what they’ve seen on rental marker and they want to move on it because that is what you do when you see a good looking rental property.

3) Their competitive nature – If a buyer has just been through a multiple-offer bidding war and lost, they may be keyed up and want to WIN something. Their standards for the last home were high and their standards for this one may seem a lot lower.

4) They think more is better – When buyers look at a home that is priced above the other homes they’ve been viewing, it can cause them to want to go for it because this one is bigger, or has more of something they want. The question is, are these extras worth the increased price tag and is this home a good deal in this higher price range.

5) It’s staged well – Home staging is something that my buyer clients have seen on TV and they like to point out to me. What they don’t often realize is that good staging hides flaws in the layout of the home. Small scale furniture can make a room look bigger and odd uses for tiny rooms can be fun, but not necessarily practical. It’s important to focus on the how the layout will work for the buyer throughout their time in the home.

At Hollish Hill Group, we view and analyze a lot of homes. That experience can be a real help to buyers who are interested in a home and considering putting in an offer. We point out the things we see as negatives in the home so that buyers make an informed decision before they make an offer on a home. This is especially true when buyers find a home they like early in their search and they haven’t seen a lot of home themselves.

If you are interested in finding the best homes, at the lowest prices, with the best terms for your personal wants and needs, give me a call to Get Started. I’m not afraid to say “Nope, that’s not the One.”