Why do some people look at homes, knowing that they contain "deal breakers"? (feedback, agent)

[katharsis]

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.)

[Diana Holbrook]

I've had lots of buyers make exceptions to the deal breakers they thought they had, or started with, at the beginning.

Every house is a compromise on something.

Flooring type is so easy to change or adapt to, it shouldn't be a deal breaker for anyone.

IMHO, the real problem is putting too much trust in requested buyer feedback. Choosing a house is subjective and personal and they didn't like it for whatever reason... you won't like any of the reasons. If they didn't bring up price, you're doing well.

[Okey Dokie]

Feedback is sometimes useless. In one of our previous homes, we had a storm sewer inlet box in the corner of the backyard (basically a three foot square slab of concrete). We got a lot of negative feedback about it, but there sure wasn't a thing we could do about it. When I've looked at houses, there were some I didn't like, but I couldn't put a finger on what it was. I would just say, "I'm just not feeling the love." Hopefully my realtor didn't share that as feedback!

A lot of "dealbreakers" can be overcome if the house is otherwise perfect and/or a heck of a buy.

[katharsis]

Thanks, Diana.

Maybe my husband and I are different from most other buyers, but we only have four "musts" -- meaning that the lack of any of these truly is a "deal breaker" unless the deal-breaker can be changed without too much fuss or expense (such as a minor kitchen remodel, as opposed to, for example, not having any bedrooms or baths on the main floor).

[Kibbiekat]

Well, most people can't afford their version of a perfect house. If they don't consider all the possibilities, they may never find anything.

[BirdieBelle]

Because there's always the chance that there will be something else about the house they will love SO much that they won't consider them dealbreakers anymore.

The only feedback that matters is an offer, but some comments can be annoying. Sometimes you can try to ward them off. I noticed one agent in our area amended a recent listing with a message to buyer's agents to tell their clients ahead of time that there were train tracks in the back yard. I guess some people don't look on Google Earth before going out.

[bizcuit]

Maybe they didn't know that they didn't want ceramic tile until they saw it in your house? It happens.

When I was selling my last house, one person, after looking, commented that she didn't want stairs. Okay then.

[ea1420]

Because deal breakers usually aren't really deal breakers if everything else in the house works. As others have noted, most people have to compromise on something when they buy a house. Plus, I think many realtors show buyers as large variety of homes as possible to see if the things that the buyer said are deal breakers are really deal breakers or if they are just preferences.

Not to mention, sometimes something in theory isn't a deal breaker until you see it in person. I think that is why people indicate that the house has too many stairs or they don't like the lot, etc. There are things that someone thinks they can overlook, but find out when they really start to think about living in the house, they realize they can't live with those things.

[katharsis]

REALLY great comments and opinions, everyone. Thanks!

[irootoo]

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.