Dodging Parental Help in Oklahoma City House Hunts
You’re excited to be searching for a home in Oklahoma City. Your parents are probably excited about your house hunt, too. They want the best for you—what parent wouldn’t want to offer their best wisdom and counsel during the house hunt?
Unfortunately, it’s entirely possible for that very same best advice to cause a good home choice in Oklahoma City to slip away. Being aware of some common familial pitfalls can keep that from happening:
Parents want to see you land your Oklahoma City home for the least amount of money—sometimes resulting in advice to start with a lowball offer. That may be what they did when they last bought a house—and it might have worked then. It will not work in a seller’s market (and often enough, not in a buyer’s market, either). Make your offer based on the comparable neighborhood sales, the property’s condition, and your Realtor’s® advice (that’s me!).
Mom and Dad may advise different “deal points” than are standard in the Oklahoma City market. Recall that each state and area has different customs, disclosures, and laws—and they can evolve. What may be common in M&D’s area might not be common in Oklahoma City. Example: lengthening time periods for buyer performance, Contracts and inspections and more..
Parents may attempt to talk you out of a particular house or Oklahoma City neighborhood. Although they may have valid insights based on their experiences, when you remember that today the average length of home ownership is five to seven years, some objections become less germane. If your house hunt leads you to a specific home that’s workable for you and your budget now, trust your gut instincts.
Parents sometimes have very specific ideas about the condition of a house. That can lead to some really alarmist reactions (fathers, especially, are notorious for inspection freak-outs). Keep in mind that different areas have different building types, weather patterns, and housing components—and that repair and upgrade costs may differ significantly from one area to another. Listen to the folks, but do your own research. And listen to the advice of your Oklahoma City inspector (and me, too).
A common denominator is to listen to everyone, but do your own research—and include what your own hand-picked Realtor brings you. If you and I are proactive about the issues the house hunt turns up, your parents’ feelings won’t be hurt. There will be peace in your family, and a much more successful transaction…all of which can start when you give me a call!
