6 signs a home might be “The One”

In a hot market like the one we're experiencing in Central Austin, it's not uncommon for a buyer to visit 10, 20 or even more homes before finding the property they want to make their home. These numbers can be daunting.

But... Even the most particular buyers, even buyers who are frustrated by how many homes don't seem like the right fit, can take heart. You only need to find ONE.

So the question is how do you know which one is THE ONE. Here are six signs that a given home you're viewing might in fact be it.

1.  You instantly feel possessive about the property.

No matter how long you've been house hunting, when you walk into “the one” you'll get an involuntary surge of energy to do whatever it takes to make that home yours. If you're at an open house and other buyers are viewing the place, you'll start to feel competitive. If you're at a private viewing, you'll start to talk numbers and offer logistics. For that matter, some buyers start making calls to their financial planners, generous parents, and contractors from the front porch steps of their "one" – during the first viewing.

2.  You start to see its flaws as adorable quirks.

If you find yourself viewing a home with traits that you would normally deem undesirable or as deal-killers, yet you like the place so much that you instinctively compile a mental list of reasons those traits just don't matter, you might have found "the one."

However, be wary of "Pottery Barn Psychosis" where the aesthetics of a wonderfully staged home with amazing curb appeal can hypnotize you. This syndrome renders buyers blind to the negative property features, which would be glaring or grave concerns if the place weren't so stinking cute. It's fine to make a conscious decision that the pros of a place outweigh its cons, and even to consciously re-rank your priorities in light of a particular property's advantages. Don't, however, throw reasonable guidelines out the window altogether.

Buyers can avoid falling victim to Pottery Barn Psychosis (and the buyer's remorse that often follows suit) by writing down your absolute musts and deal-breakers before you ever step foot in a single property – and by revisiting this post before you write an offer and again before you remove your contingencies.

3.  You immediately envision your own family, furniture, decor, daily activities or remodeling choices in the home.

If you find yourself measuring the dining room to be sure your Grandma's table will fit, it's entirely possible that the home you're viewing could be "the one" for you.

4.  You lose interest in seeing other homes.

When you find "the one," your interest in seeing other homes dissipates, instantly – no matter how many homes you've seen or how long you've been house hunting.

5.  The bathroom and kitchen don't disgust you.

We humans are born with only two fears in life: the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. By about eight months old, we start to acquire new fears. Chief among them: the fear of other people's kitchens and bathrooms.

Other people's kitchens and bathrooms hold definite gross-out potential. There's just something about what goes on in those rooms that seems exceptionally intimate and even unsanitary. So, if you happen to find yourself falling in love with a home's river rock shower floor or drooling over the pot-filler, countertop or farmhouse sink, that's a sign that you're falling head over heels with a home that might just be "the one."

6.  The money, time and energy spent on your home search feels worth it.

Home buying is an expensive, time consuming proposition. If you view a home that makes your home search feel like the best, most worthwhile decision ever? You, my friend, might have found "the one."

At Homesville Real Estate we've perfected the art of helping your eliminate homes that don't meet your needs so that we can narrow in on properties that meet your housing goals. We'd be excited to share our home search process with you. Contact us to arrange a free, no BS consultation today.