Agreeing on the Perfect Home – And Staying Married

Married and House Hunting

Home buying can be stressful enough for one person, but tossing two different people in the ring can be downright painful. Maybe you're dying for a cute home in the suburbs, but your spouse loves the idea of lots of land in the country. These disagreements can create roadblocks on your way to arriving at the perfect home.

As popular housing markets experience shorter‑than‑average sell times, don't let a stalemate with your spouse cause you to miss out on your dream home. Check out these tips to help you get on the same page as your honey and keep your house hunt from turning into World War III.

Make Separate Must‑Have Lists

Your best shot at a compromise is to find out what you and your spouse have in common. Make a list of your top 10 must‑have features along with your top 10 wishes – separately from your spouse. Then, compare your list to your spouse's and try to find at least 5 things in common.

Compare the lists and identify a handful of home features (location, number of rooms, big backyard) that are important to both of you. These agreed‑upon features will serve as the foundation to your home‑buying discussion. When you and your spouse start the home search on common ground, you'll be more likely to compromise later down the road.

Remove Emotions from the Budget

House‑hunting couples most often disagree on how much money they should spend on a home, according to a Facebook poll. Should you take on a higher mortgage to get your forever home? Or should you go the conservative route and get slightly smaller digs?

Do your best to take emotions out of the equation and look at the facts. Your monthly payments should be no more than 25% of your take‑home pay. Veto any home that doesn't fall within that price range. Don't get caught up imagining holidays and family gatherings in a huge, extravagant kitchen. A forever home won't be yours forever if it's out of your price range.

By removing your emotions from the decision, you'll be able to choose a home you and your spouse will enjoy (and still have!) years from now.

Be Willing to Postpone the House Hunt

If you and your spouse are butting heads, take a step back from the conversation. There will always be new homes for sale, but digging in your heels over a home‑purchase disagreement will only create a greater divide between you and your significant other. Take a two‑week break from the discussion and then reconvene. Your marriage is more important!

Compromise is key to finding something that will fit both of your needs.

So if you and your spouse can't agree on a home, take a breather. Make a pact that you will not discuss locations, square footage, price, and so on for at least a couple of weeks. Then come back to the discussion with a fresh perspective and outlook.

Let Your Realtor Be Your Mediator

A quality real estate agent can listen to your housing disputes and help bridge the gap between you and your spouse. With their intimate knowledge of the market, an experienced agent can provide sound, unbiased advice.

Don't let a stressful situation like buying a home cause strife with your spouse. Enlist our help today! Skyrise Real Estate Group knows how to sail these waters while helping two people stay the best of friends.

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