Dating and buying a home

I recently became single and if you have ever done internet dating you will really like some of the comparisions I am going to make about Michigan home buying.

Let's start with first the profile and the pictures. When you internet date you put up a profile (a description of who you are) and photos of yourself. It is the same way for a seller listing their home on the internet. You put together a nice description of the house to get buyers interested in seeing the home. Good photos of the home.

1.) Many internet daters decide on a potential date based on these two items. It's so hard to judge a person or a house on a few photos or a description. WHAT YOU SHOULD NOT DO..... Do Not eliminate a house simply because of the description or one bad photo. Don't make a snap judgement of a home based on the street name. Yes, I have had people do that. If the home has possibilities and you have time, go look at it in person. You may love the house after you see it and know more about it.

I always say realtors lie with their camera. Their whole job is to get you in the door of that house. So they don't take pictures of the bad parts of the house. Only the good parts. So that beautiful home may be like that beautiful girl. She may not look so good when you go and meet her in person. Sometimes it may be about the layout, or the little extras, or the yard, or the neighborhood that you fall in love with. That ugly bathroom that was going to make you pass the house up may not be a deal killer anymore. So take a look at some of the iffy or borderline houses too.

2.) I went and met two women last week. Both of them had been dating for 12 years and still had not found the "one".

A.) Well hello, there is no perfect man as there is no perfect house. It's not out there. I am not saying to settle, but you have to make compromises and buy the best house possible.

B.) If you have been looking for 12 years for a mate either your standards are too high or you are unrealistic. It is the same way with buying a home. If you have been looking for a year or more then you may want to re-evaluate your search. Ask your realtor about your goals. Are they realistic? I have seen too many people just settle after looking for too long. They get tired of the search and then buy a home because they are tired of looking. I have seen where buyers have passed up nice homes and then buy a worse home in the end. Simply because they were tired of looking.

C.) When you find that great lady you want the spark, the intensity, the fire, the desire to be together. One of the women that had been looking for 12 years for a man said yes she wanted to go out again. However it took her five days to tell me that after a date. I wouldn't say that she had real interest or real desire to meet. It is the same way with you buying a home. If you take five days to make a decision to go see the home or if you like it and take days and days to put an offer in....then the desire really isn't there. The house may be sold. Some other buyer that really wanted the house will have bought it.

So don't get tired of looking. Take a break for a while and then hit it hard. The rest is time to think about what you really want and then go after it.

So I hope these internet dating tips help on your home search. It doesn't matter if it is a luxury home for sale on Walnut lake in West Bloomfield or if you are moving to Wayne County try to have your goals in mind. Make sure they are realistic and then make solid steps to find your dream home.

If you have questions about buying a home or would like a very good realtor in your corner give me a call at (248) 310-6239. Russ Ravary