Five Things Your Realtor Won't Tell You (But I Will, Because We're Friends Now)

Look, I'm about to break some unspoken rules of the real estate world. Not the legal ones—those are important—but the polite ones where we all pretend that buying a house is a magical experience filled with nothing but joy and perfectly staged photos.

After fifteen years of walking through houses with singles, couples, and families, I've learned that the stuff nobody talks about is often the stuff that matters most. So grab your coffee (or wine, I don't judge), and let's have the conversation your other realtor might not want to have.

1. That "Perfect" House? It Doesn't Exist (And That's Actually Good News)

Here's the thing nobody tells you: even my clients who bought million-dollar homes with every upgrade imaginable will still point out what they wish was different. The kitchen island could be bigger, the master closet could have better lighting, the backyard could use more shade.

This isn't about being ungrateful—it's about being human. We adapt to our spaces and then imagine how they could be even better. So when you're touring homes and thinking, "It's nice, but..."—that's not a red flag. That's normal.

The secret is distinguishing between "I could change this" and "this would drive me crazy every day." Can't stand the paint color? Easy fix. Hate the layout of the entire main floor? That's a different conversation with your contractor and your bank account.

I tell my clients to look for homes that feel 80% right. That other 20%? That's where you make it yours. The family who painted their front door bright yellow because it made them smile every time they came home? They got it right.

2. Your Dream Neighborhood Might Be Someone Else's Nightmare

Pinterest and Instagram have convinced us that certain neighborhoods are universally desirable, but here's the reality: the "perfect" neighborhood is the one that matches your actual life, not your aspirational one.

I've had clients fall in love with quiet, tree-lined streets only to realize they were going stir-crazy without walkable coffee shops. Others thought they wanted the bustling downtown vibe until they discovered that "vibrant nightlife" meant "garbage trucks at 5 AM and street cleaning that requires a PhD in parking signs."

The Kirkland waterfront is gorgeous, but if you're someone who needs to park directly in front of your house and hates circling the block, you might be happier in a different area. Those charming older neighborhoods in Bothell have incredible character, but if you're not handy and don't want to be, maybe look at the newer developments where the biggest maintenance issue is remembering to change the air filter.

Take an honest look at your daily routine. Do you actually walk places, or do you drive everywhere? Do you love community events, or do you prefer privacy? Do you want to know all your neighbors, or just wave politely from your driveway?

3. The Market Doesn't Care About Your Timeline (But We Can Work With It Anyway)

This one's hard to hear, but the perfect house doesn't magically appear just because your lease is up or your closing date is approaching. The market operates on its own schedule, which usually doesn't align with yours.

I've had clients find their dream home on day two of looking, and others who searched for eight months before finding the right fit. Neither situation is wrong—they're just different stories.

The key is being honest about your flexibility. If you absolutely must move by a certain date, we'll focus on homes that are move-in ready, even if they're not everything on your wish list. If you can wait for the right place, we'll set up alerts and be ready to move quickly when it appears.

But here's what I can control: making sure you're prepared to act fast when the right home comes along. That means having your financing locked in, knowing your true budget (not just what you qualify for), and being clear about your nonnegotiables versus your nice-to-haves.

4. Your Friends' Advice Comes From Love, Not Expertise

Everyone you know will have opinions about your home search. Your college roommate will tell you that you're crazy to pay that much for a house without a basement. Your neighbor will insist you're making a mistake if you don't buy in their exact neighborhood. Your mother-in-law will forward you listings that are either completely out of your price range or in areas you'd never consider.

They mean well, but here's the thing: they're not living in your house, and they're not paying your mortgage. Their advice comes from their own experiences, preferences, and sometimes anxieties about their own housing decisions.

Listen politely, say thank you, and then trust your judgment. You're the one who knows that you actually love cooking and need a kitchen with counter space, even if your friend thinks the galley kitchen is "charming." You're the one who knows you're willing to commute an extra ten minutes for better schools, even if your coworker can't understand why location isn't everything.

5. The Best Investment Is The One You're Happy Living In

Real estate investment advice is everywhere, and most of it assumes you're buying property like you're playing Monopoly. But here's the reality: if you're buying a home to live in, the best investment is the one that makes you happy to come home every day.

Yes, location matters for resale value. Yes, you should think about the long term. But don't sacrifice your daily happiness for some theoretical future buyer's preferences. If you love the house with the quirky layout and the neighbor who grows amazing tomatoes, and if you can comfortably afford the payments, then that's a good investment.

I've seen too many people buy the "smart" house in the "right" neighborhood and spend years feeling like they're living in someone else's dream. And I've seen families buy the house that made them smile, work hard to make it their own, and create the kind of memories that make any investment worth it.

The market will do what it does, but your life happens every day. Choose the place where you want your life to happen.

Ready for Some Real Talk About Your Search?

This is the part where I'm supposed to give you my sales pitch, but honestly? If you've read this far, you already know whether we'd work well together. I'm the realtor who'll tell you when a house smells weird, when the seller's price is unrealistic, and when you're about to make an emotional decision that you might regret.

I'm also the one who'll get genuinely excited when we find the place that makes you say, "I can see us living here." Because that's the magic moment—not when you find the perfect house, but when you find your house.

So, reach out to me. I’m ready to help.