I am currently reading a collection of American Tall Tales; they go right along with my nightly reading of an Aesop Fable or a Grimm Fairy Tale. These narratives of the Old West got me thinking about real estate and its close relationship with the American Dream, and how that American Dream has changed over the years. I recently read somewhere that the "American Dream" was a coin phrased by Fannie Mae, the mortgage company.
In the film "Far and Away" they race each other on horseback to flag their property in the wild, unspoiled West. It doesn’t work quite like that anymore, but I would suggest that the process gives just as much of an adrenaline rush. We cherish this American Dream of owning our own land, no matter what the unemployment rates or Dow Jones statistics say. Nothing touches our souls quite like the white picket fences and wrap-around porches of our ultimate dream home.
When I decided to become a real estate agent, I had to examine some of my preconceptions of a what a real estate agent is. My image was roughly that of a man with a sporty tie that drives up in his Mercedes, perfectly white teeth glinting as he elaborates on the crown moldings of House Exhibit A as John and Susie Homebuyer look on, eating it all up with a spoon. I wondered if, to succeed in this business, one had to be ok with bending the truth a little bit… or a lot. I wasn't ok with that, but it got me thinking… what’s the difference between a good tall tale, what in the real estate industry is referred to as "puffing" … and a lie?
American tall talk, or “exaggerated storytelling” as it is often called began as a way for early American settlers to cope with the vast unknown of the lands they inhabited. If Davy Crockett could triumph over the wild, so could your everyday back woodsman. Some of these tall tales (Davy Crockett and Johnny Appleseed, for example) were born of historical figures who, through the retelling of their stories over campfires, become almost superheroes. Other tall-tale characters were born of complete fiction; but in the present day form as we find it written, there is no way to tell the difference.
Now, we hack our living out of the wilderness in an entirely different way, but for some reason this tales still have resonance. Who doesn’t love a good story of braving the wilds, after all? This land could be just dirt, OR, it could be the dirt that once hosted an exciting Gold Rush. This pen could be just a pen... OR it could be a centuries old pen that crafted the Gettysburg Address or the Declaration of Independence.
I love places that have a hidden story… I recently visited a café in Santa Monica, where a worn out framed newspaper proudly proclaimed that the Watergate scandal had been leaked to a journalist right in that cafe, at a table next to a rustic looking steering wheel. Of course, this was completely unconfirmed. But who cared? It was interesting.
True or false, you have to admit that these stories are the spice of life. But when on the hunt for our dream home… or when we are giving up a home that has held so many memories that are dear to us… are we left with no option other than to dismiss this tradition of tall tales as part of the great American tradition? What is a wayfaring home seeker or seller to do?
When real estate agents enchant you with tales of the best crown moldings or the “highest sales rating EVER” you have several options. You can get really agitated and confused and start frequenting home improvement stores so you can research crown molding for yourself, or you can throw your hands up in the air and allow yourself to get caught up in the love affair.
I am about to tell you something that might shock you: if you select the second option, you actually have science on your side. In the bestselling novel “Blink” Malcolm Gladwell references a study completed by the University of Amsterdam (granted they used IKEA customers, not homebuyers as their guinea pigs). They found that big purchase decisions ( like home buying) are best made with your gut… in fact, surveys show that the MORE research that goes into a large purchase such as a home, the MORE dissatisfied buyers often are later when compared to those that purchased based mostly on what their gut told them to do.
I'm not saying be blind. I'm not saying be uneducated. That would be hypocritical to the avid researcher that I am--but I do believe you shoud listen to what the house is “saying” and maybe, just maybe, go with it! You might just find your fantasy home… a home that is as good on paper as it was in your dreams.
