Buyer’s fatigue is a real thing, and it happens to more of us than we talk about. One of the most common fears our clients have is potentially purchasing something too quickly and missing out on a better home down the road. But, there is a threshold of how many homes one person can view before they start getting tired of the home buying process. If you wait too long before pulling the trigger, you can end up feeling like you skipped over too many good homes while waiting for a better home that never came. That feeling is what we call “buyer’s fatigue”, and it is a side effect of a buyer’s initial fears of missing out. Avoid entering real estate purgatory by following some of our best advice below:
A critical part of a successful agent’s sales process is helping their clients narrow down their home search. A good agent is measured in how quickly the figure out what you want to buy, how quickly they find it, and how seamlessly they close the sale.
When I hear that someone viewed over 100 homes, I cringe. Within the first 10-15 viewings, you should know whether or not you want an open concept home, how many bedrooms you need, whether you want a family room attached to the kitchen, etc. Once you have an ideal number of rooms and design, there’s no reason to view over 100 homes to find one that suits your family. Today, most online listings have pictures, videos, floor plans, and descriptions that should help you decipher whether the home fits within your needs-and-wants list. If the home does not fit the list of your basic needs, there shouldn’t be any reason to view it– unless you think it’s the exception to the list. There are always exceptions, but the point we’re trying to make is that viewing every home on the market because it’s in your price range will unnecessarily tire you out. Tired home buyers are more prone to “settling” than buyers who made a realistic wants-and-needs list, and waited for the perfect home.
How Do You Start Narrowing Down Homes To Buy?
If you’re looking to buy a home, you should already have an idea of where you want to live. A good practice is to go out on Saturdays and Sundays to view open houses in and around neighborhoods you like. This is the quickest way to see whether you like the streets, neighborhoods, and whether or not the homes you like are in your price range. Sit in the local Starbucks or Tim Hortons on a Sunday afternoon. Every city has a vibe, and you can’t tell that vibe from viewing online listings.
A great example of a vibrant community is downtown Burlington or Aldershot. The streets are lined with mature trees and beautiful gardens, and the communities are a mix of young and old families. Burlington is becoming trendy because the young families are moving out to the suburbs and they have the equity from their condos to purchase large, detached homes.
Once you’ve settled on a community, a good start is to work on your home must-haves:
- Master Ensuite
- Family Room Off The Kitchen
- Tall Ceilings
- Finished Basement
- Double Garage
- New Neighbourhood, Or Established Neighbourhood
- Large lot
- Pool
- Washrooms
- Bedrooms
- Office space
One thing we’ve learned is that no house is 100% perfect. Even families who built a custom home will point out things they wished they had done differently when designing their home. It’s important to pick a home that meets the majority of your wants and needs, and to overlook things like wall colors, or dated washrooms.
If you’re looking for a team to help you start your home search, reach out!
