When couples can’t agree on properties

“I knew this old condo surely got en bloc one. If she could only listen to me once … ”

“Tell you to accept the 1st offer you don’t listen. Now the markets like that how to sell?”

“Told you to act fast and you couldn’t decide. Now see lah. We missed the boat already!”

Do you often hear couples throwing these comments once someone brings up the topic of properties?

Possible disagreements revolve around when to buy, how much to spend, what types of property, whether to payback the loan, when to sell …

Decisions on property investment are very personal and subjective, even emotional at times. For some reasons, one can feel very strong about whether to buy/sell a property.

Even if you have all the relevant facts and supporting calculations, you may still find it difficult to explain to others.

This is especially true when it comes to convincing that special someone, namely your better half.

I am lucky to buy almost all my investment properties before I get hitched. It’s such a breeze to be able to make all the decisions and arrangements by myself, minus the unnecessary persuasion or compromise.

I marry someone who does not have the slightest interest in properties. He thinks that viewing flats and dealing with agents, tenants, lawyers, contractors, etc. is a waste of time.

He did at one time worry that I would keep investing in my properties, instead of buying ‘our’ home to settle down.

But he gradually understands that this is my hobby, just like some women love buying branded handbags.

When we were looking for our matrimonial home, we saw countless properties but nothing caught his eyes.

We probably had seen dozens of developments, which couldn’t pass his ‘standards’, but finally came up in the paper on their successful collective sale.

And I’ll casually comment, “Hey, do you remember we’ve seen that one before?”

Most couples combine their finances, make joint financial decisions and invest as a team.

My two-cent advice: compromise to reach consensus is the key to maintaining the relationship.

Above all, never blame the other party for missing that BIG opportunity because:

1) It’s not worth it to upset each other just because of missing it this time. Both of you can still live very well even without buying/selling that property or pocketing that windfall.

2) There are many good deals in the market. You only miss one of them today. You can always find a better one tomorrow.

Remember, the seller/ buyer will be out of the scene after the transaction. The developer washes their hands off after the condo’s warranty period.

But your better half will always stand by you – even when luck turns against you in the case of a defaulted transaction, a bad investment, or a failed collective sale – because he/she has taken the oath “to be faithful to you so long as you both shall live”.

This morning I told my two-month-old baby that another development daddy and mommy didn’t buy finally go en bloc. This is how she replied:

(Note: All facial expressions are real. Words are translated from baby language.)