Buyer’s remorse is a familiar feeling for many of us. Whether you’ve made a purchase you weren’t quite sure about or you moved forward with an impulse buy that you later looked back on and regretted, it’s never a great feeling to have a sense that you may have made the wrong choice.
It’s an especially bad feeling when you’re experiencing buyer’s remorse about an expensive purchase.
Unfortunately, it’s not entirely uncommon to feel buyer’s remorse when you make one of the largest purchases you’ll ever make in your life: a home.
Avoiding Home Buyer’s Remorse
Choosing a home can be a complex and difficult decision. As a result, it’s not entirely surprising that you may have some complicated feelings that remain even after you’ve chosen a home and made an offer.
Luckily, there are a number of easy steps you can take to combat those feelings of home buyer’s remorse and help you to refocus on the benefits of purchasing the home you selected.
Here, we share three of our favorite tactics for fighting those feelings of home buyer’s remorse that you might be feeling.
1. Review Your List of Wants and Needs
Chances are, somewhere along the way as you were shopping for a home you made a list of the things you wanted to have and needed to have in the home you ultimately chose.
If you’re feeling unsure about the home you selected, spend some time reviewing that list of wants and needs. Go over which of the must-have items the home you’ve selected has and think carefully about what exactly made you choose that house over the others you had considered.
Try to rethink through the thought process that led you to your decision. Is it realistic to think that you’ll find a house that meets more of your wants and needs than the house you picked? Is there another house during your search that you’re constantly comparing your house to? Do you think you’d feel the same sense of nervousness had you purchased a different house?
Chances are that you made your decision carefully and logically in the first place, so the cold feet you’re feeling likely are not warranted. Going over your list of wants and needs again can help you to reaffirm that and feel more confident in the home choice you made.
2. Don’t Keep Looking at Houses
One of the biggest mistakes that home buyers make that leads to feelings of home buyers remorse is continuing to look at homes for sale after they’ve already made an offer or moved forward with a home purchase.
Once you’ve made your home selection, take a break from home shopping! You’ve earned a break, and continuing to look will only make you unnecessarily wonder if the choice you made was the right one.
Instead of continuing to regularly review home listings, spend your time making plans for how you’ll enjoy your new home and discussing how you’ll make your new place truly feel like your own. You’ll end up feeling relieved and much more excited about the house you bought rather than nervous and questioning your decision.
3. Make a List of Pros and Cons
If you just can’t seem to shake the feeling that you made a mistake picking the home that you chose, spend some time making a list of the pros and cons about your home buying decision.
This list can include everything from the features included (or not included) in your home and the home’s location to the price of the home (too high, too low) and the alternative options you could have gone with (buying a different home, continuing to rent, etc.).
Having a tangible list of the pros and cons of buying your home can help you to sort out your feelings and truly understand 1) what it is that’s making you feel anxious about the home you purchased and 2) whether or not those feelings of anxiety are actually legitimate.
Rest Assured – You’re Not The Only Home Buyer Feeling Buyer’s Remorse
A large proportion of home buyers feel some semblance of remorse or regret after purchasing a home, even if it’s the home they’d always envisioned.
Instead of wallowing, try these tips for combating buyer’s remorse and celebrate finding a home that’s a great option for you!
Looking for other ways to get excited about the home purchase you just made? Check out the following for some inspiration:
Tips for Creating a Luxurious Bedroom on a Budget – Get ready to take your new master bedroom to a new level with these clever and affordable ideas!
Add a Little Farmhouse Flair to Your Home – Want to add some touches of the latest farmhouse home trend to your home? We share a few ideas you can implement in homes of any style!
DIY Backyard Projects – Check out these easy projects you can use to spruce up your brand new backyard as soon as you move in!