If you’re on the home-buying journey for the first time, you may have the image of the perfect home in mind. Every wall is a color you love…the best flooring…and the perfect backyard. While there’s a chance you could find a house exactly as you imagined it, it’s more likely that you’ll find that house that’s close to what you dreamed but needs some adjustments.

So, just how much should you compromise on that dream home? Are there things you should accept if the price and location are right? The answer is yes! There are some items you can be more forgiving about while home shopping if it means checking the rest of your boxes. Here are some of the things you may be able to overlook if you’re considering making an offer on a home that has most but not all of what you’re looking for.

DATED FLOORING/WALLPAPER/PAINT COLORS

While it may be tempting to wait for a home with new carpet, hardwood floors or freshly painted white walls, overlooking old carpet or vibrant wallpaper can help you get your otherwise dream-home. Replacing the flooring or painting the walls doesn’t have to be expensive for you and it’s something you use to negotiate a better price with the seller to get the best deal on your home.

ROOMS BEING ‘MISUSED’

You may walk into a house and see workout equipment next to a fridge or a bed in a living room. Don’t let a room being used for something seemingly odd keep you from loving a house. It’s sometimes hard to imagine your furniture somewhere but use your imagination and give the room, and house, a chance. An exercise room today can easily be your kitchen next week!

SELLER PRESENCE

Some sellers choose to not remove personalized items before putting their house up for sale. It can be overwhelming to enter a home covered with photos of someone else’s family. While that may be the case, it’s important to keep in mind that all of that personalization will be gone if you buy the home. Look beyond what you can change and try to visualize whether you can make the home your own when those items are gone.

It’s easy to fall in the trap of wanting and expecting to find the “perfect” home to buy.  However, it’s rare that a perfect home actually exists.  If it does, you’re likely to be competing with other buyers and will pay a premium for it.  However, you can find a great home that you can make perfect with a little bit of vision and the right real estate agent to guide. Many times those not so perfect homes have less competition from buyers and a better price, too.

If you have any questions about how to see the potential in a home, feel free to email me at Rachel@RachelKayla.com and I’ll be happy to help you see the potential of your future home.