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One of the first homes I bought was a deal breaker... the broker was insistent on showing so I went and was not interested...
It was rented and set for a condemnation hearing...
So the Broker asks me to come by the office and we talk for about 45 minutes and she kept fishing for me to say what I would pay for the home... I mentioned a figure and she wrote it up... honest it was 1/3 of MLS list price.
The next day she called to congratulate me on my purchase and I still own it today.
You own it, but do you live in it?
(P.S. What was the deal breaker?)
Last edited by Ultrarunner; 07-10-2016 at 11:52 PM..
Just wondering why some potential buyers will look at homes that they know, via the listing photos and/or description, they will not consider buying?
Today we received feedback from a showing in which the Realtor said that his clients did not want ceramic tile floors in the main living areas, which the listing stated and the photos clearly showed. Now, of course, they could cover them up with carpeting or go to a HUGE expense and have hardwood floors put in, but if they knew they wouldn't want to buy a house with tile floors, why would they want to waste their time by even looking at such a house?
(Btw, their only other gripe was that our yard was too small, but that is understandable because I know that many people cannot get a sense of size or layout or actual condition of the house without an in-person visit.)
Even more so, I do not know how anyone would make a deal breaker something as trivial as tile on the floor; things easily changed. Sure, if there are multiple houses in the area that are similar for sale, but how often does that happen unless it is a new development.
Just wondering why some potential buyers will look at homes that they know, via the listing photos and/or description, they will not consider buying?
Today we received feedback from a showing in which the Realtor said that his clients did not want ceramic tile floors in the main living areas, which the listing stated and the photos clearly showed. Now, of course, they could cover them up with carpeting or go to a HUGE expense and have hardwood floors put in, but if they knew they wouldn't want to buy a house with tile floors, why would they want to waste their time by even looking at such a house?
(Btw, their only other gripe was that our yard was too small, but that is understandable because I know that many people cannot get a sense of size or layout or actual condition of the house without an in-person visit.)
Maybe they didn't mention it or notice it til they got there, or maybe they just didn't like YOUR tile and combined with the size of the yard, the two things became a deal-breaker.
My only total dealbreaker when looking in PA was an electric heat-pump. I had already lived in a new-construction home in the 80's when heat pumps were the rage....til everyone realized they don't work that far North. The house was so cold in winter that I sometimes turned the heat on the backup heat (straight electric), ending up with $300+ electric bills (in the 80's). So when I was relocating back to PA from CA, I was interested in a certain townhouse development where most of the homes had heat pumps. Wouldn't even look at them.
Speaking of CA: When I was looking for a home there, everything in my price range was pretty much a disappointment. The agent was very sympathetic, which I appreciated -- it wasn't like she was trying to convince me that the place was nice. So as we were seeing more and more of these, I started a joke with her. As we would pull up to the house but before we went in, I would say "What do you think -- dump? Or semi-dump?". She would say "dump". I loved her sense of humor about it! (I ended up buying a new-construction condo, for which she was the sales agent and it was the first place she showed me. Good strategy -- everything looked like a dump after that!)
I have looked at homes where I thought there was a deal breaker, but I wanted to see if I could fall in love with the other elements of the home enough to overlook it. And that did happen with our most recent home.
Same here.
Last house we viewed after a long day of house-hunting...it had one big issue that we thought was going to be a total deal breaker. Almost decided to skip it altogether, but there were a few intriguing aspects of the house that we wanted to see in person. Loved it. Made an offer that day. Sitting here happily 2 years later And that "deal breaker"? Not such a big deal after all.
and since no two people are alike, some may use the phrase and just mean they REALLY hate certain items and never would consider a property with them, but others just would prefer not to deal with the issue(s). I guess it is up to the realtor to determine which camp the buyer falls into (maybe those initial showings are to gauge this).
When I was looking for a home, there was truly only one deal-breaker - walking directly into the kitchen, especially if there was only one main entrance to the home - just about everything else was ok, but I had quite a list of things I thought I did and didn't want. (Actually, there was a second - no properties above a stated maximum price). I started looking at listings (via internet, no direct viewings yet with a realtor) a good year before I was ready to buy, and thought I had a pretty good idea of what was acceptable. When I finally worked with a realtor, she showed me many places above my price and not by an amount that you would even make a lower offer. Finally, driving through some of the areas I was interested in with a friend, I passed one place (house not visible from the road) with a "for sale" sign and called the listing realtor. It turns out that I had seen the house several months earlier on-line and and the pictures and descriptions did not hit ANY button which said I would at all be interested - and I totally dismissed it. Once I saw the property in person, however, I fell in love with the location (the house itself was "ok", I thought), bid, negotiated, was accepted, and closed about two months later. It had a whole host of things I thought I hated mixed with missing several things I thought I DID want. What's interesting, however, is that in the 10+ years since I have lived there, I have either changed what bothered me or else embraced what I thought I didn't like - and it still makes me smile to walk in the door. (FYI, yes, the kitchen is in the back of the house - THAT I could not compromise on - and yes, the price was under my maximum!)
For myself, although I have 21 preferences, I only have two "musts" that can't be fixed, given enough money and room for expansion (such as changing a 3/4 bath into a full bath). They are (1) it must be within ten miles of a complete grocery store (sometimes a problem in rural or semi-rural areas if the winters are snowy); and (2) that it is located at least 100 feet from the closest other home. (You can't "fix" rowdy neighbors, and even if you start out with quiet neighbors, they could move and sell to someone who is not quiet.)
However, if the listed price and the cost of the fixes for a house exceed our total budget by more than 10%, it is crossed off my list of possibles, and we won't ask to see it. We will be scouting for out-of-state relocation next month, and so far, there are only six homes on our "possible" list.
Because no home is perfect, what they thought may be a deal breaker doesn't have to be if everything else in the home is perfect. Also you can go into a home where you think it's gonna be perfect and find a deal breaker anyway,
Anyone who has tried to sell a home that gets more than a few showings can tell you it is frustrating to listen to feedback that comes across like it was a waste of everyone's time.
Many times, people can't remember your house clearly if they looked at multiple listings, and they may just be throwing something out to appease the realtor for those listings that are hungry for feedback. If something isn't coming up repeatedly....ie...."why is there that tile throughout the living area?" where it comes across as an objection with most buyers, don't get caught up in it. Yes, it seems dumb when someone with four kids looks at a 3 bedroom house and throws out, "we wanted another bedroom", but you don't know what the other criteria they are using to meet their needs.
People make decisions on so many factors, and sometimes you know what will work when you see it, and that's the type of buyer you want.
Even more so, I do not know how anyone would make a deal breaker something as trivial as tile on the floor; things easily changed. Sure, if there are multiple houses in the area that are similar for sale, but how often does that happen unless it is a new development.
Replacing tile is not "trivial" or "easily changed." It involves a labor intensive demo process and then the necessary steps to put in whatever new floor a homeowner wants. It involves a lot of work, time and money. Many buyers don't want to put their resources to something like esp. with all the other costs and responsibilities of moving yet still reasonably prefer to live in a home that is what they want. Unless I was buying a home with the specific intention of doing substantial renovations before I moved in, I will not buy a home with a tile floor in the kitchen ever again.
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And that "deal breaker"? Not such a big deal after all.
I think there are "levels of deal breakers"
