How to Avoid Home Buyer’s Remorse

It’s human nature to question big decisions. Here are 3 tips to avoiding home buyer’s remorse.

My fiancé and I recently purchased our first home–a monumental milestone in the journey of growing up. We live in an urban market where homes sell like hot cakes and split-second offer decisions are the norm. We had only been looking for a few weeks when we found what we knew was the right one for us — a two story townhome with a small backyard, an extra bedroom and plenty of charm (exposed brick and all!) But, after we made the offer and the home was ours, we suddenly had a moment of panic. What had we just done?!

Within 10 days we had made the offer, negotiated the price and conducted the home inspection. The process only seemed to speed up from there with mortgage approvals and closing. It felt like we had blinked and when we opened our eyes, we were homeowners. Now, I know that the process is not always as quick for everyone and empathize with those that spend months and even years searching for the perfect home.

But, one thing that I think is inevitable during the home buying process is doubt. It’s human nature. We all question big decisions: picking a university, accepting a job offer, selecting a baby name, buying a home. Our way of making sure that we’re doing the right thing is to weigh the pros and cons.

But, sometimes even after we’ve made the decision and we’re convinced it’s the right one, we can still experience a little doubt. The negative result that can sometimes come out of this careful weighing of options is that once we do make a decision, we can’t help second guessing ourselves.

Here are 3 tips to avoid Home Buyer’s Remorse:

1. Stop looking! – While those email alerts from real estate websites are helpful during your home search, seeing what’s new on the market will only add to your doubt. Mulling over what could have been can only result in buyer’s remorse. Stop searching, you’ve found the one!

2. Get to know your neighborhood – For us, one of the biggest adjustments was leaving the town we had grown to love, but learning about all of the new hot spots, meeting our new neighbors and trying out new things has helped us come to love our new neighborhood, too.

3. Make it yours – It’s up to you to make your house feel like home. Decorate your new home with personal touches that truly make it your own. Add family photos or pictures from your latest vacation. Give the walls a fresh coat of paint. Start a list of projects, like switching out the front door, that will make the house truly feel like home.

Remember, you weighed the pros and cons and picked this house for a reason. Now all it needs is a little love to make it feel like home. For more home buyer advice or to look for a home in your area, visit coldwellbanker.com.