Ask some buyers what they’re looking for.
I’ll know it when i see it, and they’ll give you a list.
Four bedrooms.
Two bathrooms.
Double garage.
Side access.
Good-sized backyard; I’ll know it when i see it.
There might be a shed, and I’ll know it when i see it.
Preferably somewhere close to the Hervey Bay Esplanade.
Buyer Responses vary
However, ask another buyer and you’ll get a completely different answer. I’ll know it when i see it.
“I don’t really know. I’ll know it when I see it.”
It sounds like the least helpful answer you could possibly give a real estate agent.
But strangely enough?
It can be completely true.
The Wishlist vs The Feeling
Most buyers start with a wishlist.
You need some idea of what you’re looking for, otherwise you could spend every Saturday inspecting half of Hervey Bay.
Budget matters.
Location matters.
Bedrooms matter.
Parking matters.
There will usually be things a property genuinely needs to have.
But then there’s the other side of buying a home.
The part that’s much harder to put into a search filter.
How it feels when you walk through the door.
Sometimes a property ticks every box on paper and you feel absolutely nothing.
Then another one misses two things from your wishlist and you immediately start imagining where the couch is going.
That’s the “I’ll know it when I see it” buyer.
You Can’t Search for a Feeling
Imagine trying to enter this into a property search:
Price: Under $800,000
Bedrooms: 4+
Bathrooms: 2+
Parking: 2+
Feeling when I walk inside: Yes please.
Unfortunately, there’s no filter for that last one.
You can search for a pool.
You can search for land size.
You can search for bedrooms and bathrooms.
But you can’t search for:
“The kitchen reminds me of Sunday mornings.”
“I love the way the afternoon light comes through here.”
“This backyard just feels right.”
“I can picture Christmas here.”
Those things only happen once you’re standing inside the property.
Sometimes the House You Buy Isn’t What You Were Looking For
This happens more often than buyers expect.
You start wanting modern.
Then you fall in love with an older character home.
You insist on four bedrooms.
Then you find a three-bedroom home with an incredible living area and decide you can make it work.
You want a huge block.
Then you find a smaller property close to the Esplanade and realize you’d rather have the location.
You definitely don’t want a pool.
Then you see that pool.
Suddenly, you’re a pool person.
House hunting has a funny way of changing the rules.
Then There’s the Property You Nearly Didn’t Inspect
The photos were fine.
Not amazing.
Just fine.
It was slightly outside the suburb you were originally considering.
The kitchen wasn’t exactly your style.
You almost didn’t bother.
Then someone says:
“Just go and have a look.”
So you do.
And somehow, it’s completely different in person.
The rooms feel bigger.
The layout makes sense.
The backyard is more private than you expected.
The street feels right.
Suddenly you’re standing in the kitchen wondering whether your fridge will fit.
Sometimes the home that surprises you is the one you remember.
Buyers Aren’t Robots
Buying property is obviously a major financial decision.
Budget, contracts, inspections and professional advice matter.
But we also need to acknowledge something fairly obvious:
People are emotional.
A home isn’t just an asset to most owner-occupiers.
It’s where you’re going to wake up.
Come home after work.
Invite friends over.
Spend weekends.
Raise kids.
Keep pets.
Celebrate birthdays.
Live ordinary Tuesday afternoons.
Of course emotion is going to be involved.
The trick is making sure emotion doesn’t completely replace sensible decision-making.
“I Love It” Doesn’t Mean Stop Asking Questions
This is where the romantic part of house hunting needs to meet reality.
You’ve walked in.
You love it.
Fantastic.
Now take another look.
Does it actually fit your budget?
Does the location work for your everyday life?
Is there enough storage?
Does the layout work?
Have you considered the condition of the property?
Have you spoken with the appropriate professionals about the purchase?
Are there things you’ll need to spend money on immediately?
You can absolutely fall in love with a house.
Just don’t let that stop you from doing your homework.
Couples Rarely “Know It” at Exactly the Same Time
This deserves its own section.
One person walks through the front door:
“This is it.”
The other:
“We’ve been here for twelve seconds.”
One is mentally arranging furniture.
The other is checking the garage.
One loves the kitchen.
The other wants to know where the caravan is going.
One has emotionally moved in.
The other is still looking at the gutters.
Somehow, eventually, you meet somewhere in the middle.
Your Agent Might Start Knowing Before You Do
After showing someone enough properties, an agent begins to notice patterns.
You might keep saying you want a modern home…
…but spend twice as long inside older renovated properties.
You might insist you need a huge backyard…
…but constantly talk about how much you love being close to the beach.
You might say the shed isn’t important…
…but ask about the shed at every inspection.
Sometimes what buyers say they’re looking for and what they consistently respond to are slightly different.
That’s where having someone listening to your feedback can be useful.
Your Wishlist Isn’t Wrong — It’s Just the Starting Point
You should absolutely know your non-negotiables.
Budget.
Number of bedrooms.
Location requirements.
Accessibility.
Space for children or pets.
Parking requirements.
Whatever genuinely matters to your life.
But everything else?
Maybe leave a little room for surprise.
Instead of only inspecting properties that score 10/10 against your wishlist, occasionally consider the 8/10 that has something interesting about it.
Because you can change paint.
You can update a kitchen.
You can landscape a backyard.
You can add your own personality.
Sometimes what you can’t manufacture is that immediate feeling that you want to stay.
So, Is “I’ll Know It When I See It” Actually a Thing?
Yes.
Sort of.
You probably won’t walk through the front door while dramatic music starts playing and instantly know you’ve found The One.
But there absolutely are homes that simply connect with buyers differently.
Maybe it’s the layout.
The natural light.
The location.
The backyard.
The character.
Or a combination of little things you never thought to put on your wishlist.
You might inspect ten homes that make perfect sense.
Then walk into number eleven and think:
“Oh.”
And suddenly the person who couldn’t explain what they were looking for…
knows exactly what they meant.
