By Patricia LoCascio, March 23, 2024
What we want vs. what we need
We all have ideas about what we want and most of us think we know what we need.
But when it comes time to purchase a house (for the first time or the thirteenth), we’re called to really assess where we are, where we want to be, and where we can realistically get. Each decision in a home purchase is so important and often riddled with (if not muddled by) both cost and reward. Balancing so many factors in tandem requires a deep and intimate relationship with both the big picture and the long game. It’s a lot. But there’s more value to it than meets the eye.
Ultimately, there is no one right answer to questions like:
“Is now the time to sell?”
“Do I have to sell before I buy?”
“Do I have the seller do the repairs or take the credit?”
“Is a low price better than a high interest rate?”
“How do I decide if the sewer is a deal breaker?”
The list is endless.
The exercise of weighing out so many choices that are often so interconnected, is practice we all need. Because each of these questions demands you know the cost and value of each option to *you* and that’s going to require you know your feelings, your priorities, and your long-term financial landscape. It takes deep introspection and honest conversations with both co-buyers and yourself. Will you *actually* put in that French drain or snake your main sewer line every spring? Do you understand the rate contractor costs are climbing? A $15,000 roof could cost an arm in 5 years (man, maybe actually. It’s nuts out there.)
You’ll want to see each decision from at least a couple of angles and you’ll need to ask yourself hard questions.
You’ll want an agent that knows those angles and you’ll need one that you can talk through all of these options and help you identify the right answer for *you*.
What do you want?
What do you need? Let’s talk about it and find your way to achieve it!
Patricia LoCascio
Living Room Realty
(816) 651-8997
Patricia@LivingRoomRe.com
Patricia LoCascio
Broker | Seniors Real Estate Specialist | OR
She/Her
I bring something very special and unique to real estate: YOU.
What you get: Unmatched enthusiasm, limitless curiosity, continued commitment, and an unparalleled team. What I do: I am a deeply committed Realtor, a messy painter, an amateur woodworker, a decent knitter, a (very) lazy homeschooler, an intentional cook, an avid soil resuscitator, and a practicing (and stumbling) Buddhist. How I got here: Growing up in New Orleans, moving to Kansas City at 18, living there for 18 more years, I assumed I was just a nomad. I felt like home would always be temporary and I’d always be happiest “in transit”. But Portland has taught me a very important lesson; I was never a nomad, I’d just never been home. This region, this state, and especially this city mean so very much to me. I am raising my children here and growing my food here. I’ve met friends and family alike in this town’s neighbors. This is where I live, this is where I work, this is where I love. Who I love: my partner my five daughters bell hooks Robin Wall Kimmerer Sheri Huber Thich Nhat Hanh Nina Simone Nick Drake You- T: 816-651-8997
- patricia@livingroomre.com
