13 Apr Don’t Let a Kitchen Sink Cost You Your Dream Home
How to stay focused while house hunting in Glendale and Peoria
Let me tell you a story about a kitchen sink.
Yep, a sink. The kind you wash your dishes in—and the kind that almost kept one of my clients from buying what could’ve been the perfect home.
If you’re shopping for a home in Glendale, Peoria, or anywhere in the Northwest Valley of Phoenix, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the little details. You walk into a house and immediately start noticing things—scuffed paint, dated light fixtures, maybe a faucet that wiggles a bit too much. And I get it—it’s a lot. But here’s the truth: those little imperfections might be standing between you and a really great home.
The Big Picture: What Really Matters
When you’re touring homes, especially in today’s market where inventory is competitive, it’s important to focus on what really matters. I always remind my buyers to pay close attention to the big things—like the layout of the home, the structure, the location, and how the home feels overall. Those are the things you can’t easily change.
But what happens most of the time? Buyers get distracted by cosmetic issues. Maybe the house feels a little cluttered or the paint color isn’t their favorite. Or, as in my recent experience with a client—they can’t stop staring at a kitchen sink that isn’t quite their style.
The Kitchen Sink Story
I took a lovely couple out this weekend to look at homes. They brought along the buyer’s sister-in-law for a second opinion. As we toured house after house, the buyer kept coming back to the same thing: the sink. She didn’t like it. It wasn’t deep enough. The faucet felt a little loose. She wasn’t convinced she could “live with it.”
That’s when her sister-in-law chimed in with a great story. She had bought her home just six months earlier and also didn’t love the sink or the faucet at first. She was convinced she’d replace them immediately. But after living in the home for a little while, she realized—those things didn’t bother her anymore. She got used to it, and more importantly, she loved the house. The sink? It’s still there, working just fine.
And that’s exactly the kind of perspective that can help you make a smarter decision when you’re house hunting.
Don’t Miss Out Over Small Things
Look, I know it’s tempting to want every detail to be perfect when you’re buying a home. It’s a huge investment, and you want to love where you live. But don’t let small, easily fixable things—like a sink, a light fixture, or paint color—distract you from a home that checks all your other boxes.
You can always make updates later. The goal is to find a home that fits your lifestyle, your location needs, and your long-term goals. And sometimes, that perfect home is the one other buyers passed up… because the faucet wiggled.
So, here’s my advice: when you’re out house hunting, try to filter out the noise. Focus on what you can’t change, and take your time deciding what (if anything) actually needs to be updated after you move in.
If you’re getting ready to buy in Glendale, Peoria, or the surrounding areas, and you want help spotting the homes with real potential (and not getting hung up on a sink!), give me a call or text anytime. I’d love to help you find the one.
Elise Fay
Realtor, eXp Realty
📞 (602) 329-7782
✉️ elise@elisefay.com