But what if it's not?

It's one of the most overused phrases on Selling Sunset and House Hunters. "I'm looking for my dream home."

But dreams change. Life happens and needs do shift. And sometimes, we just can't afford our "dream home." So, then what?

We put so much pressure on ourselves to find our dream home that we forget to look for the "right for me now" home.

So what could that look like?

It could mean buying down instead of buying up. For example, buy a 2-unit rental home instead of a single-family home, live on one side, and rent out the other.

Or simply buy a smaller home. It may *feel* like you're buying "less house," but sometimes living in a home that requires less maintenance is a gift. You'll have less square footage to clean, less to maintain, and hey, maybe you could *actually* afford the neighborhood you've always dreamed of (even if your new home is smaller than your current home!).

Another option that I've talked to a lot of clients about lately is keeping their current mortgage (if they're locked in at a low rate!) and save up to purchase a new primary home! Your home with the lower rate could become a rental property and could even help offset the costs of your new mortgage!

Bottom line: Sometimes we need to turn off the TV (sorry, Million Dollar Listing!) and get creative with our options. When you think more about a "right-for-me-now" home and less about a "dream home," you have so much more buying power and freedom to live the life you've been wanting!

If any of this is making your heart race because you're like, "ADRIENNE, I want to do this!!" then DM me DREAM HOME! We can set up a coffee date and have a long talk all about YOU and your goals and come up with a creative plan to get you there!

www.winterwoodrealestate.com