The Home I Almost Didn't Buy

I almost didn't view the home I eventually bought.

Why?

The columns.

Two large decorative columns stood prominently inside the home, and I absolutely hated them.

In fact, I disliked them enough that I passed on seeing the property more than once.

Eventually, in a competitive seller's market, I decided to look beyond the columns and actually walk through the house.

I'm glad I did.

It Was Far From Perfect

The columns weren't the only thing I would have changed.

The kitchen was dated and taupe, and one of the cupboard doors literally fell off.

The backyard was severely overgrown.

There were holes in the garage walls that needed to be repaired and drywalled.

The roof had curling shingles and would eventually need replacing.

There was work to do.

Plenty of it.

But somewhere during those early visits, I stopped looking only at what the house was and started imagining what it could become.

Then I Saw The Things I Loved

The stained glass windows immediately caught my attention.

I loved them.

I saw the soaring cathedral ceiling and the incredible natural light.

I saw the space.

I saw the potential.

And when I looked at the overgrown backyard, I didn't just see what was there.

I imagined an oasis.

When I looked at the dated kitchen, I imagined the kitchen I could eventually create.

The house wasn't finished the way I wanted it.

But I could see my family living there.

That changed everything.

Buyers Don't All See The Same Property

One of the fascinating things about buying a home is that two people can walk through the exact same property and see completely different things.

One buyer sees an outdated kitchen.

Another sees an opportunity to create exactly what they want.

One buyer sees an overgrown backyard.

Another imagines gardens, entertaining areas or a pool.

One buyer can't get past an architectural feature they dislike.

Another barely notices it.

Neither perspective is wrong.

Buyers bring their own priorities, budgets, tastes and imaginations through the front door with them.

Potential Has A Price Too

Seeing potential doesn't mean ignoring reality.

Renovations cost money.

Repairs cost money.

Landscaping costs money.

And some things may be much harder—or impossible—to change.

A buyer still needs to consider whether the work required fits their budget, abilities and plans.

There's an enormous difference between seeing potential and pretending problems don't exist.

The question is whether the things you want to change are outweighed by the things you already love.

Some Things You May Never Love

And those columns?

They're still there.

I still wouldn't choose them.

But somewhere along the way, they stopped defining the house for me.

In fact, when we later created an outdoor structure in the backyard, we intentionally incorporated substantial column bases into the design so the architectural elements inside and outside the home felt connected.

Sometimes you remove what you don't like.

Sometimes you renovate it.

And sometimes you simply make it part of the story.

First Impressions Matter—But They Aren't Everything

There are absolutely properties buyers should walk away from.

There are features that can't reasonably be changed.

There are compromises that aren't worth making.

And every buyer has their own non-negotiables.

But sometimes the feature that initially makes you dismiss a property becomes surprisingly insignificant once you consider everything else the home has to offer.

That doesn't mean buyers should force themselves to love a house.

It simply means a first impression doesn't always have to be the final one.

PMB Takeaway

The home you buy doesn't necessarily have to be perfect the day you find it.

Sometimes you're buying what already exists.

Sometimes you're also buying the possibility of what it could become.

Look carefully at the flaws.

Understand the work involved.

But don't forget to look for the things that can't easily be recreated—the location, the space, the character, the light or simply the feeling that you could build a life there.

I almost let two ugly columns stop me from seeing everything else.

The home I almost didn't buy became the home I didn't want to leave.

Join The Conversation

Have you ever almost dismissed a home because of one feature—or discovered potential somewhere you didn't expect it?

Whether you're a buyer, seller, agent, builder or other real estate professional, we'd love to hear your perspective.

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About Property MarketBase (PMB)

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The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, financial, tax, appraisal, inspection, or real estate advice. Readers should conduct their own research and seek professional advice where appropriate.