Everyone has experienced buying something and later realizing they don’t really like it at all. It can be something trivial and small, like an electric-powered tool, a mobile gadget or a purse. As long as the warranty allows, you can return items just by finding the receipt and boxing them back for a refund. While buyers’ remorse is something common when it comes to day-to-day shopping, the feeling is entirely different when purchasing a home.

It’s the largest investment you’d probably make in your lifetime, where you have decided to stay and spend the years of your life with your family. This isn’t something you can ask for a refund once you have discovered it’s not what you wanted. If you are interested in buying a property, buyers’ remorse is something you’d want to avoid. As you shop for your new home, make sure you stay grounded with your ideals by following these reminders:

1. There’s a difference between owning and winning. Oftentimes, buyers are in a competitive situation wherein they just want to win over other shoppers into a multiple counter-offer predicament. Putting a practical offer on a home is reasonable. But make sure that the purchase price does not exceed the list price. Always choose a home within your budget.
2. Go see the house, walk through every room. No matter how you are attached to a property, if you have only seen it once, you may be headed for a bad buyers’ remorse. Go back and see the house differently for the second time, or the third. You may have missed something in your first pass that you can be able to spot the second time around. In your tour, make sure you take note of the floor plan, its condition and size. However, dig deep and know the property with property inspection tools like a property inspection app downloaded in your mobile device. Take pictures of it, walk to the back of the home and into the lot. Scan through the garage, attic and basement.
3. Tour the home privately. Visiting a property along with other potential buyers isn’t exactly the best way to tour it. You may feel cramped, rushed and intimidated. Because this property might soon be yours, you want to “test” it out if you have any connection with it. You would want to sit in one of the rooms, look at the window, and imagine how you’d feel if you wake up on that bed. Ask the listing agent if he can give you a private tour.
4. Review the photos analytically. After your visit, you may want to visit the listing photos to refresh your memory. But at this point, you may realize that the house’s charm is different from seeing it personally; was the color entirely captured in the photo? Are the rooms really that big? Compare the snapshots with the ones you have captured with your property inspection software and evaluate.
5. Is this the home you really wanted? You may have wished for this property for more than a year and here comes a chance for you to buy it. However, your path may change once you’re in the market; another community might give you more for the money, or the property needs a lot of renovation. You should also look for features you wanted in a home, as discussed by Zillow.

If you are convinced that this property is right for you, then go ahead and buy it. However, if you have even a little doubt about getting this house, you might want to try your other options and see if something else fits your needs and wants. Always bring your handy property inspection app with you to help you scrutinize every nick and cranny and help you make the right decision.