The Difference Between a House and a Home

My name is Dakota, and I'm a new agent at Coldwell Banker Conroy, Marable & Holleman (CBCMH) in Clarksville, TN. I've been doing real estate for a short time now, and I have come to realize something... This industry is dominated by an older generation... a much older generation. So I have decided to make a blog for the younger generation by one of their own. Now I'm 26, which is practically in a cradle as far as real estate agents are concerned, but I have been through the buying process a few times before I became an agent. Bottom line is I know what goes through the mind when buying a home. Selling houses are a little different and not so emotional, but I will get to them at a later time.

Today I will discuss the difference between a house and a home. A home is mostly connected with buyers. Homes have emotional attachments. Buying a home is like buying a memory bank set on a concrete foundation. It is (supposedly) the biggest investment you wil ever make. Excitement and anxiety come and go with every new potential home that gets looked at. When you finally sit down to make an offer in writing, shivers go down your spine when you consider just how much money you are offering. Then you come under contract and the remorse sets in for some and relief for others. The problem with homes is that people shop for them when they should be shopping for houses. Homes are reserved for the places you plan on staying for at least 10 years.

Now a house, on the other hand, is something that invokes very little emotional appeal. Sellers generally try to sell houses. They have packed up their memories as best they could and are hitting the road. The only reason sellers get rid of homes usually involves a bank and the F-word of real estate. Houses are much easier to buy than homes. You realize that you are looking more for functionality than a place to "live in forever". Most homeowners look to upgrade as lifestyles change for the better. Your final upgrade is to a home. The first place you buy because you are looking to get out of your old, smelly apartment is gonna be a house.

Basically, houses are generally short term investments, while homes are something you will be happy growing old and dying in. Tweet