House Hunt Coaster
Don't tell me we haven't all been here - You're at home on dreary Saturday afternoon needing a good tv marathon. House Hunters comes on HGTV and you're set for the day! Each cute little couple has three candidate homes to visit within their gigantic budget. They complain about paint colors, you yell at them through their tv screen because that's "such an easy fix." Then, they choose their favorite home. You yell at them again because they've picked the WRONG one. Occasionally: PLOT TWIST. The first choice was already sold and they settle into choice number two. You slow clap because that was the best choice in the first place. Then, you see a clip four weeks into the future of that same little cute couple lounging on the couch in their new living room. SO SIMPLE.
Let me tell you, friends: Looking for a Dallas-area home in 2017 is anything but a simple 30-minute tv episode. It's kind of downright heartbreaking. I'm now well-aware of what a "sellers market" looks like. I'm also aware we probably have the worst timing of all time, with Dallas home prices soaring to 40% higher than they were five years ago.
We've been ready to buy for just about a month now. The homes in our ideal suburban area have been selling within two to three days. Not weeks. Days, people.
Putting in an offer on a home is such an emotional roller coaster.
First, you see a home's photos on an app and decide whether or not you can see yourself living there (like, live-live there for a long time). Sometimes these app listing photos are terrible...sometimes they're a little too good. Then, you have to schedule an appointment almost immediately and get into the door as soon as the seller allows. Looking around for about 10 minutes, you either decide "no" or "I think I can live here." If it's the latter, you better have your realtor writing up your offer contract within the hour. While that's happening, you're busy moving into that home in your mind...Imagining where you'll put the couch, what walls you'll paint, which room would become your craft room and where all those holiday decorations would fit nicely in the garage closet. All the while you're doing this, you're falling in love. "THIS is it. This is our house," you tell yourself.
Then, you get the call.
It's not your house. In fact, it's someone else's house now.
Their offer was accepted over yours. Some stranger that you don't even know.
You cry a little, mourning the loss of that house you've convinced yourself you loved (in a matter of 24-hours).
Then, you wipe off your tears, load up those real estate apps and start all over again.
Anyone else on this roller coaster too?
