Three Things NOT to Worry About With Your First Home

When people start looking for their first home, they’re wide-eyed, broad-smiled, and giddily optimistic about finding exactly what they’ve always wanted. 

Because we love you, we just want to warn you against that “exactly” idea. 

Don’t mishear us: You’re making a big investment, so you get to be choosy and you should never, ever settle. We just want you to be particular about the right things. 

Remember that post about the *three-legged stool: price, location, condition? Lots of first-time home buyers get hyper-focused on the condition piece. So let’s talk about three rookie mistakes. 

1.“But our couch won’t fit.” Maybe you’re the sentimental type and can’t imagine your life without the couch from your first college apartment. Or maybe the thought of spending even more money to refurnish your new home is making you a little nauseated.

Unless keeping your furniture is an absolute deal-breaker, here’s what we recommend: Don’t give up the south-facing, perfectly sized home in the cutest neighborhood near a not-too-busy intersection for fear of replacing a couch.

2.“But the walls are so ugly!” OK, we know it’s hard to imagine your perfect space if the walls are baby poop yellow or the best part of the décor is the orange shag carpeting.

Just remember: Walls can be painted and flooring can be replaced. Don’t get too hung up on stuff that’s easy to change—even if you can’t change it right this second. Focus on the potential, not on the tragic wallpaper in front of you.

3.“Ooooh! This KITCHEN!” On the other end of the spectrum are the places that look like they dropped straight off a Pinterest board. Everything is perfect. The kitchen? To die for: subway tile backsplash, a huge island for entertaining, a fancy pot-filler over the stovetop. 

The problem? All that eye candy could be hiding a poor infrastructure. 

Sure, you’ll avoid the costs of a kitchen remodel. But the things that really matter—like your roofing, plumbing, and attic insulation—will quickly overshadow your perfect kitchen. Don’t let the bells and whistles obscure the parts with real value.

It’s a fine line to walk. Seeing things only as they are may prevent you from seeing what could be. Or when it seems like all the showy details are perfect, you might be missing the big picture.
It’s a lot to sort through on your own—and you absolutely don’t have to! We’ve helped hundreds of people navigate the home buying process with confidence, and we’d love to help you, too.