We have started to go on a series of x-hunting these few weeks.
Some make me dream, others bring me face to face with reality.
Some say it’s not a good time to buy, others speculate the cost will rise further otherwise.

The difficulty comes, when you try to grapple the difference between getting one now of a certain size at a certain price and getting another one later of the same size but at a higher price or a smaller size at the same price. Should you or should you not go?

The difficulty comes, when trying to make a balance between space and location, and which of the 2 is of priority to you, how much weight should the ones in priority hold. And by space I mean the interior layout, the fixtures, the furnishings. Location, I mean the amenities of supermarket and food, accessibility to buses and MRTs, the distance to mama, the resale value 5 years later. With these many sub-items to consider, everything seems important and play a big role suddenly.

Different views from each and single person. When you are ok with driving pass the prison everyday, the agent says there’s no resale value. When you are ok with residing in the west, mama says it’s very far for her to even visit. When we know that we cannot live without the air-conditioning, it immediately becomes a strike-off.

Perhaps the only thing we know, is to keep within the budget of which we have established, and spot on a few desired locations. The rest? You’ll only know it when you see it. If not, take note of what are the likes and dislikes, and let your partner and agent know – which may narrow down choices and make the process of x-hunting tad bit easier.

I can’t make everyone happy that’s for sure, or even come to a perfect x that has everything. I see a fault, I ask myself honestly – if I can overlook on that and live with it. Some yes. Some no, unfortunately.

Sometimes I feel I should deserve a bigger space for chopping the onions and a more comfortable backyard for hanging the laundry, however it is often more seen as overly-concerned at being a perfectionist (because why is there a need to ask for a bigger kitchen when you don’t even cook and a famous wanton mee stall is just a stone’s throw away?). When the next x comes with a perfect space but there are tell-tale signs of aircon/pipes leakage (to quote an extreme case), where then should I draw the line?

Which leads to another question – if we are paying so much for a nest, a space where both of us look forward to going at every nightfall, a space where we begin to build a strong foundation, isn’t it right to choose the right one now than to be overly frustrated at recurring problems in future? You should be nodding at your head at this moment.

X-hunting is a daunting process. And a long one, some might say. While there are still many more packed weekends to go, I shudder at the thought of a shrinking nest as the days go by. With fingers crossed and abundant faith, I hope nothing will go very wrong.