I love summer. I know it’s a gazillion degrees outside and our flip flops melt into the asphalt when we walk across a parking lot. But, there’s beauty in it too. The world slows down and we enter the summers cruising pace. This season comes with promises of fun vacations, pool parties, and fireworks. The simple things in life remind us what brings happiness and joy. We may be sweaty and sunburned but a delicious ice cream cone can solve the toughest problems. Would this be considered a Super Power if we could bottle this feeling and use this chill vibe when buying a house? Well, we can. Remember the simple things in life are what bring happiness and mix them with, “following your own version of Dreaming Big”, and we’ve just made the perfect concoction.
When I talk about your version of Dreaming Big, I want to know what your perfect house would look like if you could have any house you wanted in your version of the ideal location. This is what you, and only you, would visualize for yourself. To many times, people get confused about what they want as opposed to “what the Joneses have.” And, every “Jones” is different and it will just end up getting confusing. For example, one friend might have the bigger is better idea of homeownership why another may think the only way to live is in a downtown Scottsdale high rise. If you don’t know what you want for yourself in a house or location, asking other people’s opinion will just complicate the situation. This is one of the biggest stresses of home buying that we can erase just by listening to our gut instinct.
One of my favorite memories of this topic is when I worked with a client named Sara. When I was a Designer for New Home construction, I would help buyers pick out their flooring, cabinets, countertops and window coverings for their new home. Sara was single and a first time home buyer. She was excited and nervous as she was making these big decisions on her own. We worked together and she picked out beautiful finishes for her house. She left so happy. The next week, she brought her Mom in to look at what she picked. Her Mom had her own version of what she liked so Sara reluctantly changed everything to make her Mom happy. The next week she brought in a friend and the same results happened. The 4th week, Sara came in to look over her selection because this was her final chance to make a change. So, I had a talk with her. We talked about how this was her house and her dream. She was getting her first home that she worked hard for and she should come home to what she loved not a version of what other people thought she should love. Sara ended up going back to her original colors and design. I hope that when she walked through her door every night, she loved the house she created out of her own version of Dreaming Big.
So, this summer, while your floating on a raft, watching the sky light up on the 4th of July, or singing to your favorite song on the radio, take a moment to Dream Big. Your version of your perfect house is the only one that matters. Wether it’s a condo in downtown Gilbert where you can walk to all the great restaurants or a McMansion in Queen Creek where the neighborhood is full of children your kids can play with, the dream is yours. Dream big and live your version. You can always visit your friends in theirs.
