1 July 2020

The art of compromise to find your happy place

| Jo Thorpe
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2 Gell St, Moncrieff

Buyers often struggle to find a perfect home like 2 Gell St, Moncrieff. Photo: Supplied.

Perfection is hard to come by when you’re looking for your dream home. You jot down your wish list and then, full of vim and vigour, start the search for your aspirational castle.

The compromising starts with your first internet search.

You’ve got 10 ‘must-haves’ on your list but realise almost immediately that nothing ticks off every box.

“That’s OK,” you muse happily to yourself. “European appliances aren’t the be-all and end-all of my entertaining desires.”

And on you meander until, with the short-list tucked in your pocket, you hit the open homes and auctions.

Appliances first to go from buyer wish list

High-quality appliances can drop off a buyer’s wish list … but sometimes you don’t need to compromise.

That’s when reality starts to kick in, according to LJ Hooker Gungahlin agent Mathew Kocic.

“The problem with the wish list is that it often doesn’t measure up to the budget,” Mathew says.

So, buyers change tack and start the search for the perfect block of land to build the perfect ‘ticks all the boxes’ home.

“The problem is that every perfect block of land already has a house on it and that house doesn’t tick your boxes!”

Wish list view

Rooms with a view on the perfect block of land are top of the wish list for Canberra home buyers.

Put a partner in the mix and things get even trickier.

“One person tends to be more open to changes and the other is stuck on what they want.”

But over time, he says, buyers become comfortable with compromise – it’s all part of the process.

Mathew Kocic LJ Hooker Gunghalin

Mathew Kocic from LJ Hooker Gungahlin says it’s hard to find a home that ticks every box on a wish list … but not impossible.

“Some buyers take longer to make the compromise and keep looking and looking and looking.

“They may feel a bit of a loss if they miss out at auction or their offer is rejected but that brings about a shift in their mind,” Mathew says.

“Their wish list changes. People start deciding what to lose and what to keep and get to a happy place.”

Every so often, though, buyers can strike it lucky and manage to hit the big time with their tick boxes.

Take 2 Gell St, Moncrieff, for example. It fits the bill for upsizing families or couples looking to scale up without breaking the bank. This four-year-old home has a long list of features that are sure to impress, including:

  • 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
  • A double LUG
  • A media room
  • A distinctive architectural design
  • An outlook to take you away from the daily grind
  • A high sustainability rating
  • Seamless movement between key living areas
  • A custom kitchen with quality appliances
  • An alfresco space
  • Landscaped gardens
  • Being close to shops, café and restaurants (but not too close), and
  • Being close to schools.

A quality property like this would normally come with a price tag over $1 million. But Mathew Kocic says price expectations are actually in the 900s. Buyer feedback on price will be gathered before a sale is negotiated.

Alfresco dining at 2 Gell St Moncrieff

Seamless alfresco entertaining at 2 Gell St Moncrieff ticks the box.

Mathew says his best advice to buyers is to think longer term.

“Think about what you need now to live comfortably for the next five to 10 years,” he says.

“If you can tick off half of your wish list for your first home, you’re doing an amazing job. With your second or third house, you might get closer towards 10 out of 10.”

In other words, if you compromise now, you’ll be in a better position down the track to move into your dream home without making concessions.

You can view 2 Gell St, Moncrieff and other hot properties at Zango.

To book an inspection for this property, contact Mathew Kocic on 0432 146 159 or visit LJ Hooker Gungahlin.

Original Article published by Jo Thorpe on The RiotACT.

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