Home buying: Look at the house, not the stuff

A friend of mine lives in a house she hates. She and her husband bought it about a year ago. They rushed into the decision, feeling that they absolutely had to have a house to live in and their wedding was coming soon. They had a strict budget and were having a hard time finding a house in a decent neighborhood that fit the bill.

Until they found the one they're living in now. The house they loathe. What do they hate it? The walls are damaged and a horrible color. The flooring needs to be replaced. It needs a new roof. It's an ugly color on the outside. The list goes on, as you can imagine.

If they hate the house so much, why did they buy it in the first place? They fell into a trap that many home stagers hope you'll fall into: Focusing on the things in the house rather than the house itself. You see, staged homes often sell faster and for more money because the buyers see how nice the things look in the house and they probably don't notice some of the flaws.