10 lessons about finding your true love (or your dream home)

Within walking distance to a park and a library are my must-haves!

Here to share with you are 10 lessons I learned from my home shopping experience that can be applied to dating. (or the other way around)

1. It takes time. If you are not the luckiest person in the world, you need to be patient. We have been looking for exactly one year and have looked at about 50 properties in total.

2. Nothing is perfect. Know what your must-haves are, and what features are not that important to you. It is important to know what can be improved with home improvement, and what cannot be changed. When it comes to properties, location is always important, while cosmetic issues can be changed later.

3. You will need help or advice. When it comes to hiring brokers, loan officers, or inspectors, etc. references and recommendations are super important. The same thing can be applicable to dating. When you feel lost or confused, don't hesitate to seek help and support.

4. You might be heartbroken, but you will be okay. We made 3 offers in total. The first one wasn’t high enough, so we lost it to another buyer. The second one was accepted, but the loan approval took forever and the seller didn’t want to wait. We were devastated, but if it’s not meant to be, let it go and move on. Be strong.

5. It’s okay to look at what is out of your league, but don’t do it too much. Albert took me to this open house once and it was like my dream house! That place captured my heart but was just not what we could afford. It was inspirational but at the same time depressing.

6. It’s okay to be desperate (and you will be), but don’t make major decisions when you are. We got desperate maybe 4 months ago and started looking at everything in all kinds of neighborhood. Nothing came out of it, but at least we got to know the San Francisco neighborhoods really well.

7. You will feel it when you see the one. I know people say this all the time, but this is really true. After seeing so many homes, you will develop that sense overtime. So when you feel the spark, go for it and don’t wait!

8. Timing is key, but not giving up is important too. People have been saying that this year is one of the best years to invest in residential real estate because of the low prices and low interest rates, etc. Albert and I did not forecast this market condition, and we are just lucky that we happen to be ready and able to buy a home right now. However, we did work hard for it. Timing does determine many things in life, including real estate and dating, but this doesn’t mean you can be lazy.

9. Problems that can be solved with money are always small problems. (compared to those that can’t) This applies to anything in life. If you get into a situation when a relatively small amount of money can change the outcome, try to think big and think long-term.

10. Choose what you love, and then more importantly, love what you choose.

Seven months after last year’s post , I am happy to announce this great news -- we bought our home last week! I have been busy with the home buying and moving, so blogging was not really on my to-do list. Grandpowers.com is also taking up a lot of my free time, too. I now live at a lovely neighborhood in San Francisco, called Hayes Valley. Hope to welcome you to our new home soon!