Buying a House is Like Dating: Find Your Perfect Match

June 28th, 2023 / Buying

Have you ever tried online dating or listened to the stories of someone who has? The drama is worthy of its own television show. In fact, with the popularity of shows like The Bachelor and The Ultimatum, we already know that dating makes for good entertainment, whether the stories end in true love or disaster.

Buying a house can feel a lot like dating. It’s a whirlwind, with everyone searching for their “one and only” while suitable listings seem far and few between. Your pulse races, and your heart runs away with your head. Have you found your perfect match, or will it be back to square one? Let’s take a closer look at the exciting and sometimes heartbreaking world of home buying in today’s hectic market.

The Adventure Begins

We all know where the story begins. The protagonist sets out on an epic and sometimes dangerous adventure to find (or rescue) their one true love. We also know how the story ends, with true love’s kiss and the words “they lived happily ever after.”

It’s everything in between that holds the reader at the edge of their seats, wondering what obstacles we will face next and how to overcome them.

Looking for even more practical tips to help you buy a home in a hectic market? The resources below are a great place to start:

A Problem of Choices

As in dating, a home buyer will face one of two problems initially; either not enough options or too many choices. When the market is competitive, you must be prepared to compromise and act quickly, lest that hidden gem gets scooped up by someone else.

However, if you have plenty of options with little competition, you may find yourself racked with indecision and inertia. You could visit a dozen contenders, each one more beautiful than the last. However, you get stuck with paralysis by analysis and never end up making a purchase at all.

Without guidance and a careful plan, the end result of either scenario is the same. You go home empty-handed, with no purchase agreements and no closing date.

Clarify Your Mission

When dating, it’s essential to have an idea of what you’re looking for while being flexible and open-minded at the same time. Your perfect match might not look exactly as you envisioned. But once you fall in love, you realize they are even more beautiful than you had ever hoped.

The same thing can happen with your home search. You should have crystal clear goals with some aspects of the house. For example:

What housing structure are you looking for? Condo, semi-detached, or single-family home?
How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you need?
What city or neighbourhood do you want to live in?

Compromise is vital, but you will also need some principles you absolutely insist on. Your true love may be taller or shorter than what you wrote down on your wishlist. But what really matters is that they are kind, treat you well, and most importantly, you love them, and they love you!

When it comes to buying a house, what matters most is the location and all the aspects that cannot be changed.

Overcoming Temporary Heartbreak

Embarking on the search for your soulmate can result in some frustration and heartbreak along the way. Someone appears to check off every box, and you’re about to fall head over heels. Then out of the blue, a deal breaker manifests itself, and you sadly realize there’s no way to make it work. Either they don’t feel the same, or there’s some issue where you just can’t reach a compromise where you’ll both be happy.

In dating, there’s no way to avoid this heartbreak other than to be patient and keep searching. Very few people ever get it right from the get-go. This advice works when house hunting, too. It’s exciting to visit homes for sale and visualize yourself living there! But just when you’re about to sign on the dotted line, someone swoops in and outbids your offer, or a condition falls through.

When it happens, as it will in a competitive market, there’s no choice but to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and move on to the next listing. It may take time, and it may take patience, but remember that you will find your match if you don’t give up.

Don’t Get Hung Up on “The One”

There are few things more endearing or romantic than calling your dating partner “the one.” However, it’s important to take that term with a grain of salt. There isn’t only “one” perfect option where you otherwise miss out forever. Even if you make a mistake and blow it with someone you had your heart set on, another person will come along eventually. When that happens, you’ll forget all about that past heartbreak.

The same thing happens when looking for a house. It’s essential that you don’t get too hung up on a single option because anything can happen. Keep your options open, and be flexible about what “perfect” really means for you. Having a roster of available listings will help you avoid the heartbreak of missing out on a particular home.

Where the Comparison Ends

As fun as it is to compare buying a house to dating, there is one crucial distinction. You should never date or marry someone as a project, with the intention of changing the things about them that you don’t like. You accept the whole package and love them unconditionally, just the way they are.

When buying a house, it’s perfectly acceptable, even encouraged, to see it as a project. As long as the location and lot size checks out and you can obtain the necessary permits, you can overhaul your house completely from top to bottom!

You can tear down walls between bedrooms (non-load bearing, of course) to create one giant room.
You can add a wall to create two smaller rooms.
Additions can be built, basements can be finished, and the shed out back can be torn down in favour of a rose garden or gazebo.

You can change and mould your home as often as you wish. You are only limited by your budget and imagination.

Location is one of the few non-negotiables when buying a home. The posts below can help you decide:

A Trusted Sidekick to Guide Your Journey

The greatest love stories often feature a supporting character whose sole purpose is to help the protagonist succeed and find happiness. Usually, it’s a clever, witty, and caring sidekick who nudges them along, often while providing plenty of comic relief for the audience.

Your real estate agent is that dedicated sidekick who works diligently in the background to make your dreams come true. From scouring MLS® listings day and night to working their network, your agent is devoted to finding the most likely matches that will have you fall in love at first sight.

After identifying the most probable contenders, your agent turns their focus to negotiating on your behalf to help you obtain the house you want at a price you are happy with and with terms that are favourable to you. When it comes to finding the perfect home, your real estate agent is the ultimate matchmaker!

Are you ready to begin the hunt for your new home in the GTA? As a Realtor® passionate about the area, I’m happy to help you find your perfect match!

Call or text today at 289-536-4143 or email jwatsonhomes@jacquelinewatson.ca with any questions or to get started.