Facing Compromises, Many Are Still Happy in the End

Author:	Lucas Jones
Source:	Homes Discovered
Date:	April 6, 2006

Many people have a vision of the home that they would like to own.  Many people can actually afford to purchase that vision in the market they currently live in.  But when people relocate to the Washington D.C. area they have to make compromises. House prices are soaring in the Alexandria/ D.C. area and finding exactly what you want is getting more and more difficult.  Buyers have to adjust their expectations on price, location, condition, style, size and other things quickly in order to find a home.  Every one has to be willing to give up something. Price is the most common and most difficult compromise. Many people are willing to pay significantly more in order to obtain what they desire.  Location is the next big sacrifice.  Many people are willing to pay less for a home further out but there are consequences involved too.  For some the commute time to work becomes extremely long and with rising gas prices, this will hit many in the wallet as well. Expectations vary greatly from person to person and many are tempered by previous home buying experience which was likely nothing like the way it is now.  Many people take a longer time to decide on a home because of their unwillingness to compromise on all the things they went in requiring of a new home.  Many people are willing to give up a garage in order to get a house closer into town but many families are not willing to give up a family room off of the kitchen. Some people are walking a fine line when going through real estate negotiations in the Washington D.C. area.  Besides paying much more than houses are worth, people have been willing to add escalation clauses to their contracts, waive home inspections and appraisals, as well as other concessions to win out against other bidders. This is very risky business when purchasing something as expensive as a house. Many people find that they are still happy with their new home even after compromising on nearly everything they originally wanted.

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