Cue my internal panicky dialogue: "Are we making the wrong choice? What if we move in and our stuff feels too small? What if it's too much work? What if we don't like it as much as our house? What if.. what if...what if..."
Buyer's remorse.
Part of me wants to laugh at myself because I see this all the time with my real estate clients. It is completely normal to freak out at some point during the home buying process and that's exactly what I'm doing.
But... I'm a Realtor! I should know better! Even though I know that we made the right choice, those feelings of doubt still creep in. Can we really handle all these projects? Are we going to be happy living here through the work?
If you're going through the home buying process and are starting to question whether or not you made the right choice, take a deep breath. You're normal. It doesn't mean you made the wrong decision, it just means you're thinking critically about it!
But, if you're feeling overwhelmed (hello pot, I'm kettle!) here are my best tips for overcoming your feelings of buyer's remorse:
1) Take measurements of the floor plan of your home, and of your furniture. Try to map out how your things will fit using real dimensions. My sweet, nerdy husband created tiny paper models of everything we own so we can move them around the floor plan he created. Our house is vacant, so it's been really challenging to gauge how our things will fit in the empty rooms. Seeing it laid out, even on paper, reassured me it's all going to work.
2) Write down your favorite things about the house. Take some time to remind yourself why you love this house. Is it the spacious living room? The kitchen? What drew you to this home in the first place? For us, it's location. We bought this house because of it's proximity to the trails I use all the time. We went on a long walk in the new neighborhood this weekend and I was instantly reminded why we want to move here, and that the things that aren't "perfect" about the house are worth the trade off for this quality of life!
3) Write down the things you want to change. I am list maker. I will make lists about the lists I've made, so this is crucial for my thought process. When thinking about the home projects I want to do, I like to make lists for three categories: Things to change right away, things to change within a year, and things to dream about changing. Not everything has to happen at once, and seeing it spread out may help you realize your to do list isn't as long as you thought.
4) Allow yourself to worry. But not too much. Being nervous about a big change is normal, and it's allowing you to think critically about a decision before you make it. While I can drive myself crazy, I've come to accept this is just part of how my brain works, and I rely on other people's steadfastness (#marriage) to get me through when I feel overwhelmed.
But... I'm a Realtor! I should know better! Even though I know that we made the right choice, those feelings of doubt still creep in. Can we really handle all these projects? Are we going to be happy living here through the work?
If you're going through the home buying process and are starting to question whether or not you made the right choice, take a deep breath. You're normal. It doesn't mean you made the wrong decision, it just means you're thinking critically about it!
But, if you're feeling overwhelmed (hello pot, I'm kettle!) here are my best tips for overcoming your feelings of buyer's remorse:
1) Take measurements of the floor plan of your home, and of your furniture. Try to map out how your things will fit using real dimensions. My sweet, nerdy husband created tiny paper models of everything we own so we can move them around the floor plan he created. Our house is vacant, so it's been really challenging to gauge how our things will fit in the empty rooms. Seeing it laid out, even on paper, reassured me it's all going to work.
2) Write down your favorite things about the house. Take some time to remind yourself why you love this house. Is it the spacious living room? The kitchen? What drew you to this home in the first place? For us, it's location. We bought this house because of it's proximity to the trails I use all the time. We went on a long walk in the new neighborhood this weekend and I was instantly reminded why we want to move here, and that the things that aren't "perfect" about the house are worth the trade off for this quality of life!
3) Write down the things you want to change. I am list maker. I will make lists about the lists I've made, so this is crucial for my thought process. When thinking about the home projects I want to do, I like to make lists for three categories: Things to change right away, things to change within a year, and things to dream about changing. Not everything has to happen at once, and seeing it spread out may help you realize your to do list isn't as long as you thought.
4) Allow yourself to worry. But not too much. Being nervous about a big change is normal, and it's allowing you to think critically about a decision before you make it. While I can drive myself crazy, I've come to accept this is just part of how my brain works, and I rely on other people's steadfastness (#marriage) to get me through when I feel overwhelmed.
I know we will settle into a groove once we've moved in, and while we'll definitely learn more of the home's quirks once we're living there, we're also going to make new memories as a family here, and learn to love the things that make this house our home.
We can do this!
We can do this!
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