ROSEMARY ABBOTT | Culture
MY HOUSE MY CASTLE
A Christchurch couple looking to buy their dream home have admitted they spent an entire open home quietly whispering renovation ideas to each other, despite not actually owning the property, having an offer accepted, or even knowing if the kitchen walls could legally be removed.
Kelly Tate and Jeremy Higgins, who are searching for their first home in the prestigious Christchurch suburb of Merivale, said they knew within seconds of walking through the property that they had entered the dangerous “imaginary renovation phase”.
“We hadn’t even made it past the front door and Jeremy was already saying, ‘Imagine this wall gone and some nice timber beams here. ’” said Kelly.
The couple said they were grateful to have the guidance of Harcourts Holmwood real estate agent Max John Collinson-Smith, who remained calm throughout the unofficial renovation brainstorming session.
“Max was brilliant,” said Kelly. “We were basically standing in the kitchen whispering about knocking things out, and instead of looking terrified, he just calmly talked us through what was realistic. But before we got carried away with a house we don’t even own, he explained the whole process.”
Jeremy said Max’s experience helped bring the couple back to earth.
“He has this great ability to let you dream but also gently remind you that houses require things like budgets, builders and council approvals. Good to have a guy like Max John on our side.” he said.
“At one point I said, ‘We could probably open this whole area up,’ and Max gave us a serious look and gave us some really practical ideas while discussing that we would need to seek professional advice before starting a project like that. He didn’t kill the dream, but offered to organise a private viewing for us to bring our builder friend in to give his opinion before we put pen to paper.
“Buying your forever home is a huge milestone, and it’s completely natural for people to start imagining how they could make a place their own.” he said.
“Sometimes the hardest part is balancing the excitement with understanding what’s achievable. A good property conversation is about seeing the potential while keeping expectations realistic.”
More to come.
Disclaimer | This story is based on real events but names and some points have been changed for this article. Max John Collinson-Smith is a licensed Sales Consultant under the REAA 2008 | #MaxJohnRealEstate
