When
you were in hot pursuit of the "American Dream"
you were excited about the future and owning your own home -- researching
neighborhoods, searching MLS sites on the internet, viewing homebuyer’s
magazines full of appealing homes that were just "minutes from
the beach" with "fantastic views" and "cozy
family rooms."
Next came the really
good stuff – looking at houses. Full of imagination and optimism
for the future, you wandered about each home envisioning a happy
and contented life for you and your family. The first house might
have been "too big," and another was "too small,"
but finally you found one that was "just right."
So you made an offer
and waited anxiously and excitedly for the counter-offer. Finally,
you and the seller agreed on terms and you bought yourself a brand
new home!
Congratulations! Break
out the champagne and celebrate!
However…
Later that night or
perhaps the next day, you started worrying.
Did you make the right
decision? Can you afford it? Is it the right time? Should
you have waited? What if you lose your job? What if this happens?
What if that happens? Anxiety and stress set in. Sleep may be hours
in coming.
This is a normal reaction
to buying a home. It is called "buyer's remorse."
This is what you
do...
Take out a pen and
paper right now and draw a line down the center of the paper. Calmly
and logically, think of all possible advantages to buying a home
and write them down on one side of the page. Afterwards, you should
list all the disadvantages on the other side of the paper.
This process is supposedly
how Ben Franklin used to weigh tough decisions.
After you get done
writing your lists, you may think back on your anxiety and think
you were being silly. After all, buying a home is obviously a good decision. Your list proves it.
But your reaction was normal and shared by many. You see,
buying a home is not entirely a rational process. It is an
emotional process, too.
You will not be totally
stress-free, but it will help.
copyright
2000 by Terry Light and RealEstate ABC |
