If We Were Buying A House Today . . .

If We Were Buying a House Today: What Real Estate Professionals Would Look For

When you're touring a home with your real estate agent and you really like it, there's a good chance you've considered asking:

“Would you buy this house?”

Or, when it comes time to write an offer:

“What would you offer?”

They're understandable questions. After all, your real estate agent sees homes every day. They understand the market, recognize potential concerns, know what features buyers tend to value, and have watched countless transactions unfold.

But here's the catch:

The house your real estate agent would buy isn't necessarily the house you should buy.

That's exactly what Melissa Wallace and Boston Connect Real Estate agent Kristen Howlett explored during an episode of Talk Real Estate Roundtable. They turned the tables and asked themselves what they would do if they were buying a home today.

What would matter most?

What would they compromise on?

What wouldn't bother them?

What might make them walk away?

And perhaps most importantly, how should a real estate professional respond when a client asks, “Would you buy this house?”

The answers reveal an important lesson for anyone beginning a home search: the goal isn't to find a universally perfect house. It's to find the house that makes sense for you.

Before You Look at Houses, Figure Out What You're Actually Looking For

It's tempting to begin a home search by opening your favorite real estate app and scrolling through listings.

But before falling in love with photos, start with a conversation.

What do you need?

What do you want?

What are you willing to compromise on?

And what would you absolutely regret compromising on?

Kristen discussed the importance of becoming knowledgeable about your own priorities before jumping into the search. A feature that's a non-negotiable for one buyer may be something another buyer barely considers.

Think of it as creating your own buyer box.

That might include:

• Location
• Budget
• Number of bedrooms and bathrooms
• Commute
• Yard size
• Privacy
• Garage
• Basement
• First-floor bedroom
• Updated kitchen
• Central air
• Heating system
• Septic versus sewer
• Well versus town water
• Proximity to family
• Neighborhood style
• Outdoor living space
• Future flexibility

And don't be surprised when that list changes.

One of the benefits of actually touring homes is discovering things you didn't realize mattered to you.

You may walk into your first few houses convinced that you need a huge primary bedroom and eventually realize you'd rather have a smaller bedroom and a finished basement.

You might think you need a garage until you find a home in the perfect location without one.

Or you may discover that something you thought was a minor preference is actually a dealbreaker.

Your home search should teach you something about yourself.

Location May Matter More Than the House

When Melissa asked Kristen what she would prioritize if she started house hunting tomorrow, Kristen's first answer was simple:

Location.

It's one of the oldest sayings in real estate for a reason.

You can renovate a kitchen.

You can paint walls.

You can replace flooring.

You may be able to add central air, redesign a bathroom, finish a basement, improve landscaping, or build a patio.

But you can't pick up the house and move it somewhere else.

Melissa and Kristen considered a hypothetical choice:

House A: Almost everything you want, but the location isn't your first choice.

House B: The location is perfect, but the house needs work and doesn't check every box.

Both chose House B.

Their reasoning was that many aspects of a property can potentially be improved over time, while the location stays the same.
Of course, that doesn't mean every buyer should make the same choice.

It means buyers should understand how much location matters to them before making an offer.

“Location” Means Something Different to Everyone

Location doesn't necessarily mean choosing the most popular town.

For one buyer, location may mean being close to the highway.

For another, it means being far away from it.

It might mean an eight-minute commute to work.

Being near the water.

Living close to parents who help with childcare.

Being able to walk into town.

Having privacy.

Living on a cul-de-sac.

Being near restaurants and shopping.

Or having enough land that you can't see your neighbors.

Melissa pointed out that while she loves her short commute to work, getting to the highway takes significantly longer. That experience would influence what she considered if she were searching for another home.

That's why buyers need to look beyond the house itself.

Ask yourself:

What will living here actually look like every day?

Your Priorities Should Match the Season of Life You're In

What matters to you at 30 may be completely different from what matters at 55.

A busy road may feel like a dealbreaker when you're raising young children but become much less important later.

A four-bedroom Colonial may have been perfect when all the kids were home, but buying another four-bedroom Colonial after they leave may not make sense.

Kristen discussed wanting a first-floor bedroom or at least a space that could eventually become one because she was thinking beyond what she needs today. She also emphasized outdoor living space while noting that an outdated kitchen wouldn't necessarily prevent her from purchasing the right home.

That's a great way to approach a home search.

Don't only ask:

“Does this work for me today?”

Also ask:

“Could this continue working for me if my life changes?”

You can't predict everything, but you can think ahead.

Don't Automatically Rule Out Cosmetic Updates

Buyers frequently say they want something move-in ready.

There's nothing wrong with that.

But if everything else about a house works, it may be worth separating cosmetic problems from fundamental problems.

Dated kitchen?

Old bathroom?

Paint colors you hate?

No central air?

Small bedrooms?

Those things may or may not matter depending on the buyer.

During their rapid-fire discussion, Melissa and Kristen found themselves willing to compromise on several features. A dated kitchen wasn't necessarily a problem. A smaller bedroom could work if there were other living spaces. A garage wasn't necessarily a requirement.
This is where buyers can benefit from asking:

Can I change this?

And if the answer is yes:

How difficult or expensive would it be?

There is a significant difference between disliking kitchen cabinets and disliking where the house is located.

Sometimes You Don't Know What Matters Until You Have It

One of the more interesting parts of a home search is discovering preferences you didn't know you had.

Melissa talked about how much she values the land and privacy she has at her current home. With approximately 2.7 acres, wooded surroundings and plenty of wildlife, privacy has become something she has grown accustomed to and something she would now consider when purchasing another property.

That illustrates why your criteria may evolve.

Living somewhere teaches you what you appreciate.

Maybe your current home has a basement and you've never thought much about it. Then you tour a home built on a slab and suddenly wonder where you're going to put everything currently stored downstairs.

Maybe you've never had a garage and don't care about one.

Maybe you've always had central air and can't imagine living without it.

Maybe you never thought outdoor space mattered until you had a deck or patio you used every evening.

Experience changes priorities.

Think About the Function of the Entire House

Buyers can become overly focused on individual rooms.

The bedrooms are too small.

The kitchen isn't big enough.

There's only one closet in the primary bedroom.

Instead, consider how the entire home functions.

Melissa discussed having relatively smaller bedrooms but additional living areas, including a finished basement and another lounge space. Because the house provides those additional areas, bedroom size matters less to her.

That's an important distinction.

Square footage alone doesn't tell you how a house lives.

A smaller, thoughtfully designed home may function better for you than a larger property with wasted space.

As you tour, imagine your daily routine.

Where does everyone watch TV?

Where would you work?

Where do coats and shoes go?

Where would guests stay?

Where would you store holiday decorations?

Where does the dog sleep?

Where would the kids do homework?

Where would everyone gather?

The floor plan needs to work for your life, not simply look good in listing photos.

What Would Make a Real Estate Professional Walk Away?

This is where the conversation became particularly interesting.

Melissa and Kristen discussed issues they personally might be unwilling to take on.

Water concerns were high on Melissa's list. Significant foundation or structural concerns were another example. Location could also be enough to walk away if the property simply wasn't where they wanted to live.
But their larger point was important:

Not every red flag automatically means you shouldn't buy the house.

Sometimes a red flag simply means:

We need more information.

A Concern Isn't Always a Dealbreaker

Imagine an inspection identifies an electrical concern.

That doesn't necessarily mean you immediately walk away.

It may mean you consult an electrician.

Concern about plumbing?

Call a plumber.

Possible mold?

Talk with the appropriate specialist.

Structural question?

Seek additional professional guidance.

As Melissa explained during the episode, inspectors, attorneys, lenders, insurance professionals, contractors, and other specialists can help buyers gather the information they need before making a decision.

That's an important distinction between reacting to a problem and investigating a problem.

Your agent's role isn't necessarily to say, “Don't buy this house.”

It's to help you recognize when additional information may be appropriate so you can make a more informed choice.

Don't Keep Looking at Houses That Violate Your True Non-Negotiables

There's value in seeing different types of homes early in your search.

It helps you learn.

But eventually, you need to stop torturing yourself.

If you've decided something is genuinely non-negotiable, continually touring homes that don't meet that requirement can create unnecessary frustration.

Melissa and Kristen discussed how the list buyers begin with may change as they see properties. Something that begins as non-negotiable can become negotiable and vice versa. But once you've identified a true dealbreaker, your search can become more focused.

The goal isn't to see every house.

The goal is to see the right houses.

So…Would Your Agent Buy This House?

Now we're back to the original question.

You're standing in the kitchen.

You love the house.

You turn to your agent and ask:

“Would you buy it?”

A good agent may not give you the simple yes or no you're hoping for.

Instead, they may ask:

Does this property meet the goals you gave me?

Do you understand its condition?

Can you comfortably afford the property beyond the purchase price?

Are you overlooking something because you're emotionally attached to the house?

Are you dismissing an otherwise good property because of something relatively easy to change?

Are there future resale considerations worth discussing?

Those were some of the questions Melissa and Kristen identified as being more useful than simply inserting their personal preferences into a client's decision.
Because your agent isn't buying the house.

You are.

“What Would You Offer?” Is Personal, Too

This is another question agents hear all the time.

“What would you offer?”

Your agent can help you understand comparable sales, asking price, market activity, property condition, competition, conversations with the listing agent, and other information that may help you structure an offer.

But there's another component that is much harder to calculate:

What is the house worth to you?

Melissa described the difference between market value and the emotional value a buyer places on a property. An agent can help explain the market and whether a multiple-offer situation appears likely, but the buyer ultimately has to determine what they're comfortable offering.

One helpful question Kristen raised was essentially this:

If you offered one amount and later discovered the property sold for slightly more, would you regret not offering more?

That's not a formula for determining an offer.

It's a way to think about your own comfort level.

There should be a number where, if someone else is willing to pay more, you're comfortable saying:

“Then it was their house, not mine.”

Your Agent's Job Isn't to Choose Your House

Perhaps the most important takeaway from the entire conversation came toward the end of the show.

A real estate professional's role isn't to make the decision for the buyer.

It's to provide the information the buyer needs to make an informed decision.

That's the difference between guidance and personal preference.

Your agent may personally hate HOAs.

You may love the idea of having exterior maintenance taken care of.

Your agent may not care about having a garage.

You may consider it non-negotiable.

Your agent may love an antique home.

You may want new construction.

None of those personal preferences make one choice right and another wrong.

The question isn't:

“Would my real estate agent buy this house?”

The better question is:

“Based on everything we know, does this house make sense for me?”

If We Were Buying a House Today...

We'd start with the same advice we'd give our clients:

Know your budget.

Understand your lifestyle.

Think about location.

Separate needs from wants.

Identify true non-negotiables.

Be willing to reconsider assumptions.

Think about your future without trying to predict it perfectly.

Don't dismiss a good property solely because of something you can reasonably change.

Don't ignore a major concern simply because you've fallen in love with the house.

Ask questions.

Bring in additional professionals when you need more information.

And lean on your real estate agent for guidance not to make the decision for you, but to help you understand the decision you're making.

At Boston Connect Real Estate, that's what we believe buyer representation should look like.

Buying a home isn't about finding the house that your agent would choose.

It's about finding the home that fits your finances, your priorities, your lifestyle, and the next chapter of your life.

If you're thinking about buying a home in Boston, the South Shore, the South Coast, Cape Cod, or surrounding Massachusetts communities, the experienced agents at Boston Connect Real Estate are here to help you navigate the process, ask the right questions, and make an informed decision with confidence. The firm serves buyers and sellers throughout these Massachusetts markets with a holistic approach to real estate.

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