We've been looking at houses for a little while now. We have walked through homes with awkward layouts, outdated kitchens, and some homes that needed oh so many updates or repairs.  And then we walk through this one. 

The space works. The neighborhood feels right. The price makes sense. Everything lines up -- except for that one thing. 

Maybe it is a slightly busy road out front. A smaller bedroom than you wanted. A single-car garage instead of a double.  A lot that doesn't work ideally for your dog or kids.  Whatever it is, it is the only thing you don't like about this house.

So how should we think about this one issue with an otherwise perfect house?

Is the one thing a non-negotiable?

Before you started looking, we probably talked about a a short list of true must-haves for your next home. Is this thing on that list? Or is what seems like a dealbreaker really just a preference?

Can it be fixed?

Some things are permanent. A busy road will always be a busy road. But a small bedroom could be a home office instead. A dated bathroom could be renovated. Before we decide the otherwise perfect house is not the one, let's think about how the one thing could this be solved, and what would that cost.

How rare is this house?

Most homes we have toured have multiple compromises. This one has only one. If we pass on it, we don't know if we will find something better -- we might just something different, with a different set of trade-offs.

This can be a helpful thought process... Imagine you have lived in the home for a few months.  You love the kitchen every morning and the yard every weekend. How often does that one thing actually come up?  Sometimes this thought exercise will help you see that we should just keep looking... other times it might cause you to conclude that this could be the right house for you.