I was catching up with a group of friends recently when one of the guys asked if I liked each of my three daughters’ boyfriends. I laughed a little, shrugged my shoulders and said, “They’re okay.”
“Ah,” he replied, “you have a son-in-law lie.” This was a golf expression that he discovered while playing a round last summer, he explained. He had just teed off, when his ball rolled off the fairway into the rough. While assessing his next move, his golf partner beside him commented, “you have a son in-law lie,” referring to the ball resting in the long grass: It’s not perfect, but you can work with it.
I chuckled and told him my girls’ boyfriends were fine. It did make me think, though. As a parent, I have high expectations for my daughters’ partners. What are those expectations? Is it character, career, education or a combination of everything? I don’t really know. When you get down to it, I just want them to be happy.
The same can be true when shopping for a home. Buyer expectations are high. It’s an exciting time until they discover that the kitchen is a bit more tired then they had hoped or the bedrooms are smaller then they thought. It’s in this moment that the buyer has to put their expectations in check.
Much like the golf ball in the tall grass, can they make it work or should they take a stroke and move the ball? Can the buyer work with the tired kitchen or should they move on to the next property?
Understanding and defining those expectations will make the search for a home that much easier. Much like the son in-law lie, it won’t be perfect, but you can make it work.
By Dean Caillier,
Sales Representative with Engel & Volkers Ottawa, Central Brokerage.