You may have noticed a little something about me – I like coffee. It’s in my branding, and if you spend some time with me, you know the love is real. I have favourite coffee places, and (when pandemics allow), I love to meet clients for a cup to discuss their real estate needs. And it’s gotten me thinking – what can your coffee preferences tell me about your real estate desires? Let’s have a little fun and see!
Note: Some of this is based on a real study done on the personalities of coffee drinkers. But I mostly made this up for fun.
Decaffeinated
For those of us who power ourselves on caffeine, this is a wildly imperfect order. Yet, decaf drinkers tend to be perfectionists. When we are in the process of buying a new home, this homeowner will be in the driver’s seat and everything will be thorough – no missing initials on any contracts, that’s for sure.
This isn’t a “fixer-upper” purchaser; unless they really love the land, neighbourhood, and plan to do a tear down or complete renovation. Typically, a decaf drinker will want to buy a modern home that is impeccably finished. They probably won’t even need an inspection (although we obviously still recommend they get one) because they will be able to spot any problems the moment they walk in.
This kind of house hunter won’t be laid back. They know exactly what they want, and luckily, details are a thing I always get right. They will likely have a large down payment ready to go, and financing would never fall through for this client. I’m thinking something close to the River Valley or the gym, because they probably care deeply about their health as well.
While the buying (or selling) process might be stressful, you better believe that once it’s done, everything will be perfect.
Black coffee
Black coffee drinkers are morally averse to change, so we might start looking in the same neighbourhood in which they currently reside, or perhaps a mature neighbourhood with a strong and well-established community. We probably would avoid those ultra-modern, skinny homes and instead stick to more classic architecture, whether it be a simple bungalow or a big house with a wrap-around porch.
Black coffee drinkers will be very direct about their needs and what they don’t want. Negotiations will be straight forward – they know exactly what they want, and they expect to get exactly that.
While black coffee drinkers will probably never want to move again, they are fantastic sellers, because everything will be well-maintained, and they will have great relationships with their neighbours.
Lattes, or lots of cream/sugar
These are the natural socializers – the people who find quarantining the hardest. A terribly fun client for someone like me, who loves people. We would focus on places built for entertaining – big backyards, open-concept designs, and beautiful kitchens. These coffee drinkers are busy, and it might be hard to find time to schedule viewings, but they will always be fun to work with. Because they may have some people-pleasing tendencies, they will need to rely on their real estate agent to negotiate the best possible deal for them – this is where I get to play “bad cop”!
I can’t wait to be invited to the housewarming party once the pandemic is over – they throw the very best get togethers!
Frozen/blended coffee drinks
These are free-spirits, and they will want to see every strange or interesting listing that we have. They are the most likely to take risks and see the potential in something that needs fixing up. They will love great deals, in a great neighbourhood, and will be the most likely to see past the green toilet and the purple wallpaper. We might look at trendy homes and neighbourhoods, and they might be impulsive with their real estate decisions. So, a good real estate agent that can help ground them a little will be of benefit. Their passion and excitement will make the process a lot of fun.
Instant coffee
Sure, people love to judge instant coffee, but these real estate personalities are going to be the most laid back. They will procrastinate and need plenty of pushing to move along the process, but once we find a house that fits their needs, they won’t be picky. I would spend time curating a list of great houses for them so I’m not pushing them to look at listings too often – think traditional style homes and places with short possession dates (because they probably put off house-hunting until they were desperate). I will focus on things like proximity to work and fitting their basic needs, as they will be able to see past aesthetic changes that need to be made.
Closing with this type will be quick – they have few conditions. If they are selling, they will probably need help to get their place show-ready (they can be a bit messy). Luckily, they are so laid back, they won’t take offense to the support they will need to get their place ready for buyers.
What do you think? Does your coffee preference ring true about your real estate preferences? Let me know!