3 Ways In Which Property Shopping Is Like Finding The Perfect Pair of Heels!

Town home or Condo? Single-family or duplex? Gated Community or Guarded? Downtown or by the water? in the world of real estate , there are enough choices to make your head spin and much like fashion, in the words of Heidi, “one day you’re in, and the next day; you’re out” especially when it comes to today’s turbulent real estate market. In fact right now most Americans are in,…debt that is, (up to their elbows), and although property is a necessity of living, purchasing it has become a roller coaster ride decision. When to buy? Where to buy? W.I.I.F.M (What’s In It For Me?), Will I lose my job, house, both???!!???

With all this to consider, finding the right fit is absolutely the most important decision you can make and the stress gets to most people particularly if you are new to real estate especially for most of my female homebuyers who come to the table with high emotions and high expectations.

So with that said, here are a few things for us ladies to remember when shopping real estate here in the Orlando area and they all require you to think shoe!!!!!

1.) Window Shop first:

We all love the lure of the high style shoe boutique on perfect shop lane with the beautiful window displays, allowing you to shop windows for hours and window shopping is a must for real estate. Taking a look at the first great property you see with your Realtor and putting your money down on the spot is never a wise decision. While we have all been guilty of impulse shopping and kicking ourselves for it later, buying a home is a one decision that will hurt a lot longer than any pair of heels will (even at designer prices). Over-spending can hurt you on both buys whether its the perfect pump or a come and get it condo fully loaded with all the bells and whistles. Not window shopping can mean the difference from banking a buck and breaking the bank so double check your budget, and think about how this will affect your life over the next few years. Will this decsion be one you will regret in a few hours like those five minute heels you love but can never wear or is this home a house with staying power like those perfect marathon day to night stunner shoes you can’t get enough of. There are a lot of pitfalls in shoe shopping and real estate so before you hit the ATM to plop down a deposit on a home or the perfect set of heels, do your research! That house or pair of heels may look nice now , but they may kill your budget later down the line and leave you with blisters. If you want your choice to have staying power, you will need to do take a step back and evaluate if this is a 2 year house or a lifetime house, as you would a one-hour shoe, or 12 hour shoe. If you are planning on having another child, that 2 bed 2 bath contemporary condo that is a perfect fit now may be a overstuffed nightmare in a few years so make sure you know what you want in your life, in your home, and on your feet.

2.) Don’t Get Caught Up in the Sample Sale Syndrome

As a New York City hometown girl myself, there were only two words that could make my heart race when it came to fashion, “sample” “sale”. The opportunity to buy designer shoes at insanely low prices in a private industry sale that most will kill to attend and many left in bruises, often meant snagging the best deals to be had for killer heels. While the Louboutins or Manolo Blahniks you broke your wrist over may be well worth the price, it is important to not get wrapped up in the drama of home buying just like the drama you’d find at a New York City Sample Sale. In real estate, there are foreclosure properties and short sale properties that many would beg, borrow, and steal for particularly in the luxury sector of Orlando (Dr. Philips, Windermere, and Winter Park) and while many are only listed for a day before going pending due to all the bells and whistles and ridiculously low prices, it is important to not let the tunnel vision of the perfect price and the lure of Brazilian cherry floors (that show like a hot pair of Jimmy Choos) sway you out of your comfort zone when it comes to your budget, or coax you into a impulse buy that may cost you later. Homes need to be properly inspected and tried on just like a great pair of heels or you may just be left with sole-ful woes later on.

3.) Finding the Right Fit!

Are you the class clown oddball of the bunch? The social butterfly with perfect pores? The traditional nice girl next door? The wild child who lives life by the seat of her pants?? Whatever your style makes sure your home fits the bill the same way the perfect shoe compliments your persoanlity and style. If you are a student who loves the social scene and the cutting edge of whats hip – consider a trendy downtown condo. A mad scientist obsessed with privacy and a flare for architecture - consider creating your own dramatically different domicile. A wall flower romantic dreamer who is looking to recapture Norman Rockwell at his best- well a white picket fence may just be for you. Either way, the home you choose like the perfect shoe will have a lot to say about you and keeping that in mind, you should have a lot to say and think about before making your final choice!

March 23, 2010 Post Under: Uncategorized