What's the Biggest Regret Atlanta Home Buyers Have?
Most buyers know exactly what they want. The regret shows up years later — not because they bought the wrong house for themselves, but because they never asked what the next buyer would think of it. Justin Landis on the question almost nobody asks before they sign.
Justin Landis on the Kristin Show, on the single biggest regret Atlanta home buyers have — and how to avoid it.
Nobody wants to live with regret — especially not attached to the largest purchase of their life. So when Kristin asked Justin Landis for his top piece of advice for Atlanta home buyers who want to avoid it, his answer wasn’t about the price, the rate, or the inspection. It was about a person who doesn’t exist yet: the next buyer.
The Biggest Regret Isn’t What You Think
Here’s the thing Justin sees over and over: most people are pretty good at knowing what they like. They know they want the open kitchen, the primary on main, the yard for the dog. That part, buyers get right.
What they miss is that they are not the last person who will ever own this house. At some point — in three years or in thirty — you will likely sell it or rent it out. And at that moment, your taste stops mattering and the market’s taste starts.
“The biggest regret is not thinking about what the next person who’s going to live in the house would think about. You may say, ‘I don’t care about this’ — but if 98 out of 100 buyers do care, it’s going to be a problem when it comes to resale.”— Justin Landis, CEO & Realtor, The Justin Landis Group
What the Next Buyer Cares About (Even If You Don’t)
Kristin put a sharp example to it: a couple with no plans to have kids, so the school district is irrelevant to them. Reasonable — until the day they list. Justin rattled off the rest of the list without pausing, because it’s the same list every time.
None of these make a house unbuyable. Plenty of people happily own homes on busy roads and steep lots. The point isn’t to avoid them — it’s to go in with your eyes open, knowing what the trade-off will cost you later, and to price that into the decision now rather than discover it during your first week on the market.
How to Buy Without the Regret
This is where an agent earns their keep. Anyone can open a door. The value is in someone who has watched hundreds of these homes come back around at resale, and who will tell you plainly what happens when it’s your turn to move out — what your options are, what it’ll cost, and how long it’ll take.
- Ask what the resale story on this specific home looks like in five, ten, and twenty years
- Separate your personal must-haves from the market’s must-haves — and know where they don’t overlap
- Visit at rush hour and on a weeknight, not just on a quiet Sunday afternoon
- Check the school attendance zone even if you have no plans for children
- Ask whether the home would rent, and roughly for what — a second exit is worth knowing about
- If there’s a trade-off you’re accepting, make sure the price you pay reflects it
That’s what the process should feel like — less like a sales pitch, more like having someone in your corner. Samuel, who recently bought with JLG’s Micahia, put it well: she was knowledgeable, answered every question thoughtfully, and the whole thing felt like a true partnership. That’s exactly the kind of guidance that keeps a good decision from turning into a regret.
Down Payment Assistance Programs
Think you need 20% down to buy in Atlanta? Next week on the Landis Look, Justin walks through the down payment assistance programs that are out there — and who actually qualifies for them.
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Commentary on resale value, rental potential, and market conditions is for informational purposes only, is not financial or investment advice, and varies by home, neighborhood, and timing. School attendance zones change and should be verified with the school district directly. Nothing here is a guarantee of future value or results. The segment featuring Kristin from The Kristin Show on Atlanta’s Hit Music Q99.7 reflects a paid partnership. The Justin Landis Group is part of Bolst, a Certified B Corporation™ brokerage. For advice specific to your situation, please contact our team directly.