As a real estate professional, one of the most rewarding aspects of our work is helping clients through life’s transitions, guiding them to find their perfect home.

My favorite example of this involves a young couple I know, let’s call them “Lilly and John”. Over the years, Lilly and John have bought and sold several homes with me. I sold John’s “bachelor pad” in the months after their wedding. After that, they bought their very first home with me as a married couple. A short year later they welcomed their first son, and once baby number two was on the way, they needed more space. This last purchase is the property they still call home today, but it was quite possibly the most difficult home for them to find.

Having seen them through several home purchases, I became very familiar with their likes and dislikes. This is what we do as real estate agents; we work hard to ask the right questions, understand what our clients are looking for, and, sometimes, help balance the difference in opinion between husband and wife. On occasion, we even have to gently nudge our clients towards the home we know is right for them, by helping them see the potential of the house in front of them.

In the time leading up to the birth of their second child, Lilly and John let me preview a lot of properties for them in order to short-list the ones I felt were worth seeing. I knew they weren’t afraid of a renovation project, and in fact, they welcomed it. When I previewed a property that I felt was right for them and they agreed to see it with me.

Upon first look, the property was in need of a little love. Showing the house on a cold, rainy day in November while Lilly was in the last weeks of her pregnancy didn’t really help liven up the home. To say the least, Lilly and John were unimpressed and the property went dismissed.

Since my gut told me this was the house, I urged Lilly and John to come back with their contractor. But this time we chose a bright Saturday morning when everyone was a little more refreshed. I stood back and let Lilly and John take their time moving through the property with their contractor, listening to his ideas, and discussing the changes they’d like to make. I knew that the three bedrooms would be great for a growing family and that Lilly would love the high ceilings as much as John would love the deck right off the kitchen.

The truth is, sometimes it can be hard for buyers to envision the potential of a home. But with an open mind, a real estate pro can help you see the “home sweet home” behind the fixer upper. But in the end, Lilly and John bought the house and made it into their home; all it took was an open mind and a little bit of guidance from their real estate agent.