Struggling with making a decision

I'm having a really, really hard time with making (and sticking to) a home purchase decision. I'm analyzing and second-guessing every aspect of the decision.

Anyone else go through this? How did you deal with it? What did you do?

Re: Struggling with making a decision

yes, we went back and fourth for 3 months deciding to get either a condo/townhouse or a house (which would need serious work).

Its one of the biggest decisions of a lifetime so its hard.

Re: Struggling with making a decision

yes. it is very hard, its a huge purchase and struggling with buyer's remorse can be a big issue. The only advice I can give is to really know what you want in a house and go out there and look at everything. The more you look the more you will know what you really want. Once you find someplace that has everything (or almost, you have to make some sacrificies) you will feel more confident in your decision.

Re: Struggling with making a decision

Yes, I am the queen of the second-guess.

First, you must identify why you are second-guessing. For example, the last time I did was because of water damage. But the time before that, it was just the sheer cost. If you know why you are second-guessing, it helps to be more rational about possibly passing on the house.

Second, be confident that the right house will come along (I know, easy, right?) and try not to feel the pressure of finding the right one, within a certain period of time. I was bent on getting into a house before interest rates rose. But now, I realize that the longer we wait (I'm talking months) the more we will have in our pocket.

Third, create a MUST list. The last house that we looked at didn't have a basement. We put on an offer, got it accepted and then pulled out for other issues...but the fact that it did't have a basement was the "straw" that broke the camel's back. We know we want a basement -- so we should have moved on!

And I think finally, go see everything because when you finally find the "one" you'll be able to check off your "must have" list.

HTH!

Re: Struggling with making a decision

We did also. Initially, we loved two homes. One was a slightly better house in terms of space, but we didn't like the street it was on or the location nearly as much. The other is smaller, but on a great property and in a part of town that we love. We could expand that house later if we want more space, and we decided we were better off with a location we loved. Good thing we decided that too--later we found out the house we did not select was also located near a sewage treatment plant.

Basically, we loved the one house but disliked the location, and when we were leaning towards that house, we were rationalizing our decision too much. It eventually became very clear that the house we chose was a much better choice for us, but this took a little time (and some anxious, sleepless nights)!

You should probably think about the pros and cons of the houses you are considering, and also, which one you feel more drawn to--go with your gut at some point if all other things seem equal.