How to buy the wrong house (AKA what NOT to do)

We spend a lot of time talking about how to buy the right home, and for good reason! Buying a house is a complicated process, and the right advice can have a big impact on your bottom line. But... don’t you ever wonder what it would take to buy the wrong house? Sometimes knowing what not to do is half the battle, and that’s certainly true when buying a house. So without further ado, we present to you the perfect plan for buying the wrong house – AKA what not to do when shopping for a home.

Definitely don’t do any research online

If you’re trying to buy the wrong home as quickly as possible, then there’s no time for little details like researching homes and communities. Knowledge will only slow you down. Instead, go entirely with your gut, and ignore the information that most shoppers rely on when buying a house. Just to be safe, avoid asking for opinions on potential destinations from trusted sources. If you want to get technical, you can always print out a nice map and throw darts at it.

Why bother with a real estate agent?

A real estate agent takes a small commission from the sale, but what do they really do for you? If you
have no need for community expertise, a comparative market analysis, or trusted, personalized advice from a real estate expert, then you have no need for a real estate agent. After all, it’s not like the right agent could save you thousands in negotiations, or scour the market to help you find the perfect property... right?

Who needs mortgage pre-approval?

Sure, you’ll probably need a mortgage to purchase a home unless you happen to be sitting on a pile of cash, but that can wait. Getting pre-approved might make it much easier to negotiate when buying a house, but that would take the time you could be using to not research communities. Better to just wait until the last minute, and let the chips fall where they may.

Any neighborhood will do the trick

Everyone knows that the neighborhood you choose has nothing to do with how happy you’ll be with the house. After all, it’s not like you’ll be spending years of your life there, visiting local attractions, getting to know the neighbors, and becoming part of the community. If you want to make sure you get the wrong home, try pulling neighborhoods out of a hat, or just pick the one with the nicest name.

Love at first sight

When shopping for the wrong house, it’s important to know what you want. There’s no time for debate, careful consideration, or expert advice. Instead, focus on a property that causes you to fall in love at first sight, and avoid doing any further research on the property. Don’t get bogged down in unimportant details, like whether the home will still be standing five years from now.

No need for an inspection

Once you fall in love with the wrong home at first sight, you’ll want to avoid anything that will make
you fall out of love. The foundation may be crumbling, but did you see that breakfast nook? A thorough review of the home’s health will only raise questions, so it’s better to avoid it entirely.

Buying the wrong home may feel like it takes a lot of work, but nobody said it would be easy. Or you could do the opposite of these tips and find a home you’ll love long-term... but where’s the adventure in that?

This article was brought to you courtesy of Richie Vraux, a Broker with Maine’s Premier Team at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate/The Masiello Group. Call him for your real estate needs at 207-317-1297.