8 Psychological Traps in Home Buying and How to Avoid Them

Dusty Rhodes • September 30, 2024

Our brains can sometimes trick us into a buying a home that doesn't fit our needs. Following these tips could help minimize buyer's remorse.


If you’ve ever made an impulse purchase, you know what it feels like to have your brain seize up and focus only on the shiny thing in front of you that you absolutely must have. If the shiny thing is a coat you can’t afford, the consequences of overspending to buy it are probably pretty small.


If it’s a home, however, you could end up spending a lot of money on a place that doesn’t fit your needs. It’s one reason why it’s important to be aware of some of the psychological traps that can drive decisions that defy logic when viewed strictly through a lens of rationality.


Those traps can lead to buyer’s remorse, which is surprisingly common among home buyers. According to a Zillow® survey of buyers in 2022, 75% of those who had successfully purchased a home in the past two years had at least one regret about the home they bought. Those regrets ranged from underestimating the amount of yard work, to failing to consider the location of bedrooms.


Here are some common traps and tips for avoiding them.


1) Overconfidence


You find a home online that seems perfect, and spend an hour lingering over the photos and the 3D Home® tour. By the time you arrive for the in-person tour, you’re already in love, so much so that you start minimizing obvious problems. The crack in the foundation? It looks pretty small. The water marks on the bedroom ceiling? Probably just an old leak. And so on. You utter the words “We can fix that, easy” so often that your partner starts to worry. 


If that’s you — and you’re not a contractor — you’ve fallen into the trap of overconfidence: being so optimistic that you downplay the possibility that anything negative could happen from buying a home that needs more work than you can reasonably pay for or tackle yourself.


How to avoid this trap


Get a great inspector who can find significant problems in the home, and give you an idea of what it will cost to fix them. Your agent may also have a stable of experts they can call to give you an idea of what might be involved in repairing problems.


2) Neglecting the future you


Let’s say you’re a newly married couple buying your first home. You don’t have kids or pets or a bunch of stuff, so you focus your search on homes that fit your current lifestyle. In doing so, you discount the future, giving more importance to your current needs than what you might need in five years or so.


How to avoid this trap


Think about “future you” and what your life is likely to look like in five years. If pets and/or kids are in the plans, or if a relative will be living with you at some point, factor them into your thinking now unless your plan is to move again to accommodate expected changes in your life.


3) Failing to negotiate


When homeowners list their homes for sale, the listing price typically reflects what they hope and expect to get in the current market. As a buyer, that’s the first number you see and it may determine whether you’ll even consider the home. This trap is called anchoring — a tendency to use the first number or piece of information as the baseline for decision-making. But in certain markets and during certain times of year, it may be possible to negotiate a lower price. In the fall home shopping season, for example, the market is slower and sellers tend to cut prices on homes that have lingered on the market.


How to avoid this trap


Lean into your agent’s local expertise to find out whether price cuts are common in your market. You also can explore whether a seller might be willing to discount the price in exchange for something else they value, such as a rent-back agreement that will give them breathing room to shop for their next home. 


4) Acting impulsively


When competition for homes is fierce, buyers need to be prepared to act quickly to make an offer on a home they like. But acting quickly when you’ve worked out your buying budget, determined what’s important in a home, and obtained pre-approval from a lender is not the same as acting out of a sense of urgency solely because homes are in short supply. 


How to avoid this trap


Do the groundwork for buying, starting with getting your credit in good shape. Work with your agent and loan officer to understand the market, what you can afford and what home features will best suit your needs. 


5) Ignoring information that challenges our beliefs


This is known as confirmation bias, and it involves ignoring information that doesn’t conform with our existing beliefs or putting greater weight on information that confirms what we already believe. For example, if you held firm to a belief that interest rates would drop dramatically this year, and put off buying a home based on that belief, you would be paying an even higher rate today. 


How to avoid this trap


Stay up to date on market trends and tap your agent’s expertise. Even experts can’t time the market or say with certainty what’s going to happen to interest rates or home prices. Instead of discounting information that challenges your beliefs, seek it out and factor it into your decisions.


6) Getting stuck in the past


Imagine you’re shopping for a home, and your fond childhood memories are so powerful they prevent you from even considering a different style of home than the one you grew up in. You spend hours in search of the perfect replica, ignoring your partners’ pleas to compromise and at least tour some other homes.


How to avoid this trap


Think about how you want to feel in your home and what you can do to evoke those feelings. It may be that certain paint colors or tile or the layout of a home will be enough to recreate the nostalgia you’re seeking.

7) Fixating on one thing, and losing sight of the big picture


Many of us know the feeling of getting so attached to something that we ignore or minimize some obvious red flags. For instance, you may fall hard for an outdoor kitchen in a home that has a yard requiring a ton of upkeep. You hate yard work, but buy the home anyway, thinking the yard won’t be a big deal — and then find yourself mowing for an hour every weekend. Or maybe you get so fixated on the thought of your kids or your pets having a yard to roam in that you might not fully consider what it might feel like to commute an hour to and from work.


How to avoid this trap


Make a list of what you want — and do not want — in a home before you start shopping, and stick with it. Having a cool outdoor pizza oven or a big yard isn’t going to make you suddenly love yard work or commuting long distances. 

8) Moving ahead with a purchase because of the money and time you’ve spent finding it


It can be crushing to find a home, and discover after you’ve written the offer, applied for the loan and ordered the inspections that the home has a flaw that cannot be easily remedied. You may even think that you’ll never find another home after looking for so long.


How to avoid this trap


Take the long view. Imagine living in the home five, 10 or even 14 years from now. Is the flaw going to drive you up the wall? If the flaw is expensive to fix, think about the other things you’ll be giving up to fix it. 


Emotions and logic 


Home buying can be a struggle at times because it requires us to reconcile our heart and our mind. Giving yourself guardrails and accessing good information can make reconciling both easier.


The great thing about making decisions is that, ultimately, you’re the only person who can know what’s right for you. Trust your gut. If you’ve done all the work — asked the right questions, relied on correct facts, listened to trusted advisors and determined the degree of risk involved — chances are you’re well on your way to moving forward to the next chapter in your life.


Source: Zillow



Dusty Rhodes Properties is the Best Realtor in Myrtle Beach! We do everything in our power to help you find the home of your dreams. With experience, expertise, and passion, we are the perfect partner for you in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We love what we do and it shows. With more than 22 years of experience in the field, we know our industry like the back of our hands. There’s no challenge too big or too small, and we dedicate our utmost energy to every project we take on. We search thousands of the active and new listings from Aynor, Carolina Forest, Conway, Garden City Beach, Longs, Loris, Murrells Inlet, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Island, and Surfside Beach real estate listings to find the hottest deals just for you!

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What Stays With the House When You Move?

By Dusty Rhodes • March 30, 2026
When you’re selling your home , it is natural to assume that anything you can safely remove is yours to keep—like the light fixtures you painstakingly cleaned and repaired, or the appliances you bought last year. But the truth is, the buyer may want some of those items, too, and sometimes it's better to part ways with these items for the sake of the sale. Rather than keep everything, you should decide what you'd like to keep and what you'll leave behind as a way to entice buyers into making an offer, particularly in today's market where buyers are holding more of the cards than ever. What stays with the house? Generally, certain items stay with the house when you sell and move. Some features may seem obvious, but the truth is, you're probably expected to leave more behind than you think. Some of these items can include: Built-ins: Built-in bookshelves, benches, and pull-out furniture generally stay inside the home. Landscaping: Trees, shrubs, and any flowers planted in the ground should stay in the yard. Wall mounts: If you have TV wall mounts or picture mounts that might damage the wall if you remove them, it is a good idea to leave them in place when you move. Custom-fit items: If you have custom-made curtains , plantation shutters, or blinds, leave them on the windows and doors. Hardware : If you upgraded the knobs and drawer pulls in the bathrooms and kitchen, you should either leave those behind or install replacements before you move. Alarm systems : Wireless alarm systems are designed to be removed. Otherwise, leave the alarm monitoring station attached and either relocate or cancel the monitoring service. Smoke detectors : Smoke detectors and sprinkler systems should stay in the house, especially if you plan to move before selling the house. What can you take? While you’re expected to leave some items behind, in general your belongings are yours to keep. Here are some examples: Patio furniture, lawn equipment, and play sets : If you have a wooden swing set in the backyard and a bistro table on the front porch, take those items with you. Appliances : Some lenders require that a home have an oven installed before approving a loan, but for all other appliances, it's up to you to decide what you will take and what you will offer as part of the home. Some light fixtures : Generally, homeowners leave light fixtures behind, but if you’re attached to a certain fixture, you can make arrangements with the buyer to take it. Built-in kitchen tools : If you can safely remove a mounted spice rack or the pasta arm, you can take it with you. Rugs, basic curtains, wreaths : Small decor items like rugs or curtain rods that can be safely removed can be taken. What should you consider leaving? Some of your personal items can be used to help sell your house—or increase the asking price. Before you take everything just to take it, consider offering some hot items like the following: Appliances : Homeowners, especially new homeowners, don’t always have their own appliances. Many buyers would be more likely to place an offer on a home if it came fully stocked with appliances. Custom swing and play sets : If you have a swing set or playhouse your children have outgrown and you notice a potential buyer has children, offer to include the item with the deal. Kitchen built-ins : Built-in spice racks, pantry organization, and windowsill shelves can really help sell a kitchen. Consider offering the items to an interested buyer. Light fixtures, curtains, rugs, and other upgrades : If you’ve upgraded the light fixtures or have custom rugs in the entryway, a buyer may be willing to increase his or her offer to keep those items in the home.  If you’re not sure what would entice a buyer, ask your real estate agent to provide suggestions. Don't have an agent yet? Here's how to find a real estate agent in your area.

Top Mistakes Homeowners Are Making in 2026 (And How To Avoid Them)

By Dusty Rhodes • March 23, 2026
Let’s be clear: selling your house is absolutely possible right now. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), roughly 11k homes sell every day in this country. And the sellers who are making their moves happen all have one thing in common: they’ve adjusted their strategy to match today’s market. They’re realizing inventory has grown. Homebuyers are more selective. And buyer expectations are higher. The sellers who struggle are usually approaching today’s market with yesterday’s expectations. Here are the three biggest mistakes they’re making – and how to avoid them. 1. Pricing Based on What Their Neighbor Got a Few Years Back Setting your price is the most important decision you make when you sell – and the one that’s most often mishandled. Realtor.com data shows almost 1 out of 5 sellers in 2025 had to drop their price. Here’s what those sellers went wrong. Buyers have more choice and more negotiating power now that inventory has grown. And house hunters will actively avoid your house is if feels like it’s priced too high. That’s why overpricing usually leads to: Fewer showings Less competitive (or lowball) offers Longer time on market And all three of those side effects are things you don’t want to deal with. What To Do Instead: The good news is the cure is simple. Just price for today’s buyer, not yesterday’s headlines. Lean on your agent’s knowledge of recent comparable sales, current competition, and local buyer behavior to land in the value “sweet spot” that drives traffic and urgency from day one. 2. Trying To Skip Repairs That Buyers Now Expect A few years ago, you could sell as-is and still get well above asking. Today? Not so much. Right now, NAR says two-thirds of sellers are making at least some repairs. And the reason why is simple. In a market with more inventory, buyers compare homes side by side. Homes that don’t show well (or feel dated) are going to lose attention quickly, even if the issues are minor. What To Do Instead: Ask your agent which high-impact, low-stress updates they’d recommend for your house. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s helping buyers see themselves moving in without a mental to-do list. Small investments in staging, repairs, and curb appeal can make a huge difference in how quickly offers come in – and how strong those offers are. 3. Playing Hardball When Buyers Try To Negotiate Today’s buyers have housing affordability at the top of their minds. And since money is already tight, they’ll be pickier and will probably ask for some compromises from you. Whether that’s making repairs, giving them a credit at closing, or taking just a few thousand dollars off your asking price, negotiating is normal again. So, if something pops up in the inspection, you’re going to need to be open to talking about it. If you’re not, you may very well see your buyer walk away. And some sellers are figuring this out the hard way. Redfin data shows one of the big reasons home sales fell thru in 2025 was inspection or repair issues. Odds are those homeowners weren’t willing to flex a bit to get the deal done. What to Do Instead: Meet with your agent to make sure you understand what buyers in your area care the most about. Align your price with value, present the home clearly and confidently, and stay open to reasonable negotiations that keep deals moving forward.

10 Aging-in-Place Features Pros Swear By

By Dusty Rhodes • March 16, 2026
They’re often called aging-in-place features, but things like curbless showers, nonslip flooring and wide walkways and doorways can benefit everyone, no matter their age or ability. “Regardless of aging in place, there is a place for these in day-to-day life, whether it be a teenager on crutches, a family member having had surgery, active kids,” designer Dana Bass says. “It’s not just about aging in place. We’ve got to account for unplanned life emergencies.” Designer Tammy Battistessa of Ellaire Kitchen & Bath Design agrees. “Whenever possible, I include aging-in-place and universal design features in every project, as I believe many of these features benefit clients of all ages and abilities, in addition to allowing a client to safely remain in their home for a longer period of time,” she says. Creating a home that can adapt also makes it more sustainable. “Aging in place is a key element to making legacy homes that can evolve over time,” architect Tim Barber says. With all that in mind, we asked more than 50 home design and construction professionals to share the aging-in-place features they always recommend. Here are the 10 that came up again and again. 1. Wide Walkways and Doorways Planning ahead is one of the most important steps when incorporating aging-in-place features. Many of these elements require thoughtful design and construction, so it’s wise to start early — and to consider hiring professionals who understand the nuances. “Thinking through how you will really use the space makes all the difference,” designer Haiku Durden of HDS Design says. “Having a designer involved really makes a difference.” A professional can help you create a plan that works for your current needs and anticipates future ones. “We currently default to aging-in-place features when our clients are near retirement or retirement age,” says designer Jenny Guggenheim of Guggenheim Architecture and Design Studio . “Preplanning by adding blocking behind the wall finish, spacious floor planning to allow for wheelchair or walker use.” In fact, spacious layouts are among the most commonly recommended aging-in-place strategies. Wide walkways and doorways — and generous clearances around furniture and fixtures — make it easier for anyone to move through the home comfortably. Installing a continuous flooring material throughout also reduces tripping hazards caused by changes in height or texture between rooms.