Real Estate Purchases Driven by Dopamine
What is it that makes us buy a home? While some may argue that they bought their home because of its resale value, when you get down to it (really far down on the neuron level) it turns out that many people purchase their homes based on their dopamine receptors.
Real estate writer Katherine Salant investigates this phenomenon in her fascinating column, “House Love, House Lust, How We Decide to Buy.”
In her article, she pulls out findings from the book, “How We Decide,” written by Jonah Lehrer. Evidently, during the first few minutes you spend in a home, your sensory organs feed data straight to the emotional centers of your brain. If the colors, smells and temperature are satisfactory, dopamine receptors go into overdrive, making you want the house and want it now.
Experienced real estate agents know this, and they watch you closely during those first few moments. The emotional response has its dark side because it gives no consideration to what we will do with things once we have them. Most people don’t use their formal living spaces, though those same spaces triggered that emotional reaction and want.
It is more important to consider the flow and floor plan of a house than a fabulous kitchen with granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances. You may love the look, but it will be more important to be able to use the space you buy.
So, if you’re buying a home, the next time you walk into a house for sale, ask yourself if your dopamine receptors are overriding your rational thinking. You really don’t want a 2-hour commute for a killer kitchen, do you?
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