When you know, YOU KNOW! It doesn’t take much time at all to scroll through pictures of your dream home to know it’s the one. Maybe it’s the right size. It’s in the perfect neighborhood. It’s at an excellent price point. Whatever the reason, it doesn’t take long for people to “fall in love” with a home before they’ve purchased it. But what happens when you think you’ve found THE ONE, and it doesn’t work out? This can be devastating news for home buyers. Check out these tips for coping with losing out on your dream home.
Give yourself time to grieve.
For some, losing out on a dream home can be as devastating as the loss of a job or even the end of a relationship. It’s okay to feel all of the emotions: disappointment, frustration, sadness, mourning. You’re really grieving the loss of a dream, and that stings. The first step in coping with losing out on your dream home is twofold. First, accept the fact that this particular home is no longer an option for you. And second, give yourself time to grieve.
Limit reminders.
Quit driving by to see if there’s a pending sign or a moving van in the driveway. Take the listing off of your favorites list, so you no longer see it in your email inbox. Delete the Pinterest page you already started with your new design ideas for this house. There’s no reason to obsess over the what ifs and allow yourself to be bitter towards the new owners. Think about something else for a while. They say “time heals all wounds.”
Surround yourself with people.
A common response to deep disappointment is withdrawing from social interaction. It’s like a survival instinct. But the problem is, drowning in our emotions alone can make matters worse. So, call a friend. Go see your family. Or here’s an even crazier idea, go meet someone new! It doesn’t take an army; One or two will do!
Allow people in your life to help you detach yourself from this old dream and realize it was just one house. There are other options out there and plenty of hope left for you! In fact, one person you really need to connect with is a good real estate agent! They can help you get back on track in your home search.
Learn from your mistakes.
Obviously, this home purchase didn’t go perfectly. So, what can you do differently next time? Maybe your offer was too low. Perhaps you didn’t jump in quick enough. Maybe you got connected emotionally too early on. No matter what happened, you’re now presented with the opportunity to try again with a different property and learn from your mistakes. Part of coping with losing your dream home is acknowledging that there is a reason you didn’t get it, and this is the way it was meant to be.
Here are 10 home buying tips from HGTV!
Get back in the game.
Here’s the truth: There isn’t ONE dream home for everyone. Although losing this home hurts, there are other exciting homes out there! You never know what’s about to pop on the market or what home prices are going to do. There’s always a chance that you’ll find yourself in an even better home for an even better price down the road. So, keep your chin up and find yourself an experienced realtor that can help you find just the home you’re looking for!
Click here to contact one of our qualified realtors at Missouri Home, Farm & Land Realty, LLC!