Tag Archives: house hunting

Finding Hidden Potential in Real Estate

My house hunting super power ⚡️
Spotting the hidden potential

You’ve seen the shows on HGTV where they buy the ugliest house ever and 30 minutes later it’s straight out of West Elm and you’re like “I think I could do this!”

What happens is, sometimes that potential is hard to spot.

When you’re looking at multiple homes, you start comparing the ones filled with oak cabinets, funky kitchen layouts and overgrown backyards to the ones that are updated and decorated with furniture from Crate & Barrel.

That can make it difficult to favor the ones that need the elbow grease and paint jobs, you know?

But the ones that look like they’re straight out of Instagram might have a higher price tag and cause you to sacrifice some of the features that were initially most important to you.

This is where I come in! I want to help you keep your top priorities in mind when looking at homes and work around what you might not love about a house!

So maybe you find a house in the perfect location. It has a great layout and the yard you’ve dreamed about, but inside you’re already making a list of all the changes you’d have to make.

What we can do is sit down and make a good ol’ pros and cons list of the changes vs the positive features and see what makes most sense.

Maybe just a few simple updates could give the space a makeover that you’d be really happy with.

A fresh coat of white paint, new rugs, swapping out the pendant lights and adding new cabinet hardware in the kitchen could make the space look entirely different and wouldn’t require taking the kitchen down to its studs or starting from scratch!

What is one home feature or design style you could not look past? I want to try and spot the hidden potential.

Do Not Agent Hop During Your Home Search

Agent Hopping Scenarios you need to know:

The home buying process will be so much smoother if you hire an agent who you trust to work alongside you rather than randomly contacting agents via signs, real estate websites and open houses you pop by.

Here are 3 ways you could be agent hopping without knowing it:

1. If you happen to be checking out houses online in your free time and come across a house that didn’t come through your home search – email YOUR AGENT. Ask them to find out information on this home or if it’s still available.

What you need to know: There is likely an agent listed next to that house online. That isn’t necessarily the listing agent of that home, but rather someone who is paying to have their contact information pop up there.

2. You just went to the farmer’s market on a Saturday morning, have a fresh cup of coffee in hand, driving with the windows down and pass an Open House Sign pointing right. You put your blinker on and follow the signs until you find the house that’s for sale.

There is an agent holding that house open for the day and you introduce yourself and start talking.

What you need to know: They aren’t necessarily the listing agent of this house. If they are, they are representing the sellers. Make sure you let them know you’re already working with an agent if they offer to send you another listing or show you a home. Give them your agent’s business card if you have it on hand and thank them for any information they shared.

If you’re interested in that house you walked through, call and let your agent know.

3. You get a postcard in the mail and OMG IT’S YOUR DREAM HOUSE!

There’s an agent’s picture and phone number on the postcard for you to call to get more information – YAY!

What you need to know: If you’ve been working with an agent already, make sure you contact them. The person’s information on the postcard is the listing agent’s but your agent can show you any house on the market.

YOU’RE NOT BOTHERING YOUR AGENT!