Why is selling and buying a house one of the most stressful and tiring experiences of your life? I think it's on a par with having a baby! Since buying a house is probably one of the largest purchases you make in their lifetime, you don't want to make a mistake.
A house should bring great joy and excitement into one's life. However, the process of buying and selling a house in the States can bring with it many headaches and heartaches before the sale goes through. Since I have personally sold and bought five houses, I personally believe I'm crazy. Let's take a look at my personal "pet peeves" and puzzling questions when buying or selling a house in America.
Why do married couples have some of their worst disagreements when they are buying/selling a house? Why are there no water leaks in your house - until you put it on the market? Why must you sign your name so many times on a real estate contract that you get writer's cramp? Why do people spend hours and hours cleaning their house only to put it on the market to sell it? Why is the dream house that you really want to buy put up for sale just after you have agreed to buy another house? Why is the family whose house you are buying so nice... until settlement time? Why do the pictures in the newspaper of houses for sale always look much better than the real item? Why do estate agents always value your house for less than you think it's worth? And why do they always value the house you want to buy for more than you think it's worth? Hmm... Why are 90 per cent of real estate agents in the United States women? Why do your kids drop soda or something sticky on the rug just before going to settlement? Why do realtors use cutesy terms like "handyman special" or "lots of ginger" to sell a house? What do they mean? Are they hiding something? Why do new homebuilders put up signs that state "homes starting in the $400,000s"? You know that really means $500,000 + for the final price! Very misleading!
Bill Piszek