This is the fun part. You’re not actually buying anything yet—you’re just trying on houses for size. You’ll browse online listings like it’s a sport, saving photos of fireplaces you’ll never use. You might drag a friend to open houses on a Saturday, just to feel the carpet and imagine where your couch would go.
Here’s the thing: this phase can stretch on forever if you let it. Some people get stuck here for months, flirting with houses like they’re scrolling through dating apps. But the average buyer chills out after about three to four weeks. That’s when you go, “Okay, I actually need to call a lender.”
