Although buying a house can be stressful, there’s one part of it that’s exciting — therapeutic, even — for some: the house tours. Going to viewings, seeing all the pretty interiors and imagining living in that quiet, peaceful suburban neighborhood is fun and relaxing. It’s a real good break from all the budgeting and mortgage paperwork. The only trouble with some homebuyers is they get a little too comfortable during the viewings. They become so comfortable that they blurt out seemingly innocent things that can actually make them a less-desirable homeowner-candidate. That said, before you regret anything, remember not to say these phrases aloud or else, you could say bye-bye to that home you’re eyeing:
“This house is my dream home!”
It’s a positive comment; one that you would make without thinking too much into it if you were truly drawn to the house. Sometimes, you do it out of wanting to compliment the seller and create a good-natured attitude towards them. Then, this can also give them a reason to jack up the price of the home, considering that you truly love it.
If you want to express admiration for the property, keep it low-key. Taper the excitement. You don’t need all the exclamation points to put across the message that you like what you’re seeing. This is for your own good as well. You don’t want to fall in love with the house at first sight because you might just find yourself compromising your non-negotiables just to get it. As you tour houses for sale that Daybreak, Utah communities offer, try to veer away from wearing rose-colored glasses so you can focus on your home essentials.
“I want to change this or that.”
If you don’t like what you’re seeing, keep it to yourself. Even if you’re dying to tell your house how ridiculous the color palette is or that kitchen layout, control yourself. If the property has been occupied by a family, you’re likely going to touch on some personal, memory-filled elements once you start talking about the improvements you’ll do. The seller can easily cross your name off their list of potential buyers. If the property is brand new, the realtor may just find your comments disrespectful for the team that worked hard to put up the house.
Don’t discuss future improvements while you’re at the house, even if you’re at the bathroom or some enclosed space. You’ll never know who can catch you bad-mouthing that kitchen design. Besides, you don’t want to ruin your exciting house viewings by fixating on the bad stuff, right?
“What is it like to live here?”
For one, the listing agent may not have an idea how to answer this, especially because they don’t live in the area. It will be useless to ask. In other instances, you’re putting sellers in an uncomfortable situation, perhaps having to think about their nosy neighbor or the house break-in that happened a week ago. The takeaway here is you need to know on your own what the neighborhood is like. You have to assess its safety, security, and accessibility. Do this by asking the police, the neighbors, or even the Internet.
Unfortunately, it’s the mindless things people say that derails their homebuying journey. Now, you should know better. Zip your mouth when you’re tempted to say these things in your house visits.