I've been selling real estate for 36 years. In all that time, I've never had a client call me upset that they bought their house.
I've had lots of calls from people upset that they didn't. "Remember that house we saw? I should've bought that one."
So if you want to know how to avoid regret when buying a house, start here because the regret almost never comes from the house.
It comes from how the decision got made.
Why people regret buying a house
When I meet sellers who regret their last purchase, I hear the same two lines again and again.
"I felt rushed into putting in an offer."
"I didn't have all the information I needed."
Sometimes the pressure came from an agent.
Often it came from a well-meaning family member saying, "Why would you buy there? You should buy here."
Here's my rule for buyers across Etobicoke, Oakville, Burlington and Hamilton.
Get all the facts, take the time you need, and make sure the decision is yours.
Do that, and you'll love where you land. I've watched it happen hundreds of times.
People swear they need a two-storey with a finished basement, then fall head over heels for a bungalow.
Once they've decided, they find every reason it works. We buy with our heart and justify with our head.
Win-win negotiation makes closing easier
Buyers always think the seller got too much.
Sellers always think the buyer didn't pay enough.
In 36 years, I've rarely seen a seller gloat about making too much, or a buyer brag about stealing a house.
That's usually the sign of a fair deal.
Here's why a win-win matters so much.
Signing the offer is only the halfway point. I've seen a buyer dig in their heels on a small item, win it, and then need to push the closing date by one day.
The seller's answer? "Sorry, can't do it."
You might win the battle and lose the war. When both sides feel heard, they're far more willing to help each other later.
Emotion beats money more often than you'd think
Sellers don't always take the highest offer, and they're under no obligation to.
I had a client with a clematis vine they'd trained over a backyard arbour for years. It was stunning. They overheard one set of buyers say they'd rip it down.
That was it. They would not sell to those people.
I've lived this myself, too. After I left my marriage, I bought a house on my own and renovated it top to bottom.
When I tried to rent it out, every little problem felt personal. I couldn't bear someone living there who didn't love it, so I sold it.
And I once helped a client sell her late mother's home as the market started to slip. Her spouse wanted it listed yesterday.
She needed six months to go through every room. It sold for less, and she told me, "It was never about the money for me."
If she'd been rushed, it would have been an emotional disaster.
What online listings won't tell you
Buyers can see almost everything online now, or at least, they think they can, and in my opinion it's made their job harder. I tell the agents on my team to go browse like a buyer for a day.
You'll see listings pop up on five sites, look sold on one and active on another.
You'll find the "perfect" house and have no idea it's a 50-minute drive to work.
You also have to learn realtor speak.
When a listing says "cozy rooms" and you want open concept, keep scrolling. That means small.
Sellers get tripped up too. They look at a neighbour's sale and assume their house is worth the same, without knowing that
corner lots, layout and dozens of small details move the price.
Buy for how you live 90% of the time
My stager has a line I love. Don't buy a house based on how you'll use it 10% of the year.
If you host a big family dinner twice a year, you don't need a banquet-sized dining room the other 363 days.
That's also why we ask sellers to pack away the family photos before listing. Your photos make your house a home.
The buyer needs to picture it as their home, and it's hard to do that while you're smiling at them from every wall.
My advice for couples: bring your heart and your head
Most couples I work with have one emotional partner and one logical partner.
The ones who do best respect both sides. Sometimes I'll walk through a house that ticks every box and say to the wife, "He's not feeling it."
And I'm right, because the feeling matters as much as the features. If you lose a house you loved, I'll tell you what I tell every client.
What's meant to be is meant to be. I can't count the times a buyer has said, a few weeks later, "I'm so glad we didn't get that other
one."
Frequently asked questions
Why do people regret buying a house?
Most regret comes from feeling rushed or missing key information, like inspection results or commute times. It's rarely about the house itself.
Does a seller have to accept the highest offer?
No. In Ontario, a seller can choose any offer. Emotion, conditions and closing dates all play a part.
What does "cozy" mean in a real estate listing?
Usually it means the rooms are small. If you want an open concept layout, read listing descriptions with that in mind.
Watch or listen to the full episode
Want the whole story, including the clematis showdown? Catch me with Evelyn and Ruth on Real Estate Without The Noise.
Watch on YouTube: It's Never Really About the House
Listen to the podcast: It's Never Really About the House
Thinking about a move in Etobicoke, Mississauga, Oakville, Burlington, Hamilton or the GTA West?
Let's talk. Reach me at [email protected] or 416-467-8627.
Sandy Casella, eXp Realty.
This post is for general information only and isn't legal, financial or mortgage advice.