Don’t buy someone else’s dream home

Social media shouldn’t dictate what makes the perfect home. Instead, buyers should focus on the features that best suit their lifestyle, budget and long-term goals.

Scrolling through beautifully styled homes on social media can be a great way to get inspiration before buying a property. But constantly comparing real homes to carefully curated online ones can leave buyers chasing an unrealistic version of the “perfect” home. As a result, they may dismiss properties that don’t match their vision, even if those homes better suit their needs.

“Social media is a great source of inspiration, but inspiration shouldn’t become expectation. The perfect home isn’t the one with the most likes or the trendiest finishes; it’s the one that best suits your lifestyle, budget and long-term goals,” explains Adrian Goslett, CEO and regional director of REMAX Southern Africa.

Goslett further encourages prospective buyers to remember that many of the homes they see on social media have been professionally staged, edited and photographed, while others are the product of years of renovations and improvements. Comparing every property you view to these polished images can make it difficult to appreciate a home’s true potential.

Before viewing properties, Goslett suggests creating a ‘must-haves’ list and a ‘nice-to-haves’ list. Must-haves are the features your household really needs, whether it is a specific number of bedrooms, security, or close proximity to schools and amenities. The nice-to-haves are features that are great but are not a necessity. Perhaps it’s a swimming pool, walk-in closet or simply marble countertops. These lists can help you focus on looking for features that truly impact your everyday life, not the ones that look the prettiest,” says Goslett.

When viewing properties, he recommends focusing on the home’s potential instead of the current style as paint colours, light fixtures and hardware can be updated quite easily and at an affordable cost. Goslett emphasises that what matters more than whether a home matches your Pinterest board is it’s layout, location and bones.

“When looking for your future home, it’s important to look for ones that support your lifestyle, not simply ones that photograph well. Think about how you use your space every day. Do you work from home? Do you enjoy hosting? Do you need room for children or pets? Asking these questions will help you choose a property that continues to meet your needs in the long run.”

Lastly, prospective buyers should make sure that they look for homes within their budget as stretching your finances to chase after a picture-perfect home can place unnecessary pressure on your household. Buying within your means provides greater financial flexibility and allows you to personalise and improve your home over time.

“While social media can provide wonderful ideas and inspiration, focusing on what genuinely adds value to your life, rather than what looks good on a screen, will almost always lead to a better long-term decision,” concludes Goslett.

Issued by Kesia Cloete