So many times over the years we have had clients say “no” to a property, only to look back and regret that decision. Fortunately, we have not had any clients tell us they said “yes” and regretted it! “No” happens for many reasons. Most times, it’s warranted and on occasion it isn’t.
Start With the Basics!
To start with basics, not feeling connected to a property or disliking it is an easy “no”. But what about when you walk into a wonderful place, start envisioning yourself and your furniture there, but overnight something just isn’t clicking and you wake up to “no”. That decision is often driven by fear – one of our most powerful emotions. Fear of the financial commitment, fear of disappointing someone, fear of the unknown – all play a role in the decisions we make. Because a home is such a BIG investment, those fears are all understandable. This is where finding perspective is important. Tuning out all the voices of people who each have their own opinions, many of whom may not really know what they are talking about, is one way to help minimize the onset of fear when the property seemed so right the day before. Another way? Do a second showing if you can. These can be very revealing and may reconfirm yesterday’s feelings.
Other good reasons to say ‘No” reveal themselves on inspection. No-brainer. You have to be certain you can take on any required improvements and also feel comfortable. It’s our job to ensure you are prepared for what may come up on inspection and to provide some context.
Ticking off the Boxes!
“No” might also come up when one of the check boxes on your list is not ticked off. And this is where sometimes, “yes” is the better answer. I can think of so many examples of this: the grandfather clock is too tall for the living room ceiling height, the dining room table would have to be turned around for Christmas dinner once a year, there is no EV Plug-in (easy to add), there is no garage but I want to live downtown – the list goes on. Since there is no such thing as the “perfect” house, it’s important to accept compromise. Admittedly, it can take many viewings and some losses sometimes to find where you are comfortable compromising, but if you start the process knowing this, it’s a head start to not missing the home that should be “yes”. On the other hand, knowing what you absolutely will not compromise on is key to facilitating decisions, too.
Emotional Decision-making!
The thing about real estate is that it’s an emotional game. More than any other item you have or will negotiate for, a home requires an emotional connection. And that can be hard to find. So when it comes, it’s okay to accept what may not be on your list, or to dismiss what your extended family may not understand. At some point, almost everyone comes to a “yes” and it’s our job as realtors to help ensure you don’t say “no” without considering all the factors and that you don’t say “yes” when you haven’t.
