What an Unprepared Trip to New Zealand Taught Me About Buying a Home

Years ago, my husband and I landed in New Zealand with a suitcase full of summer clothes. It was early spring, freezing, with snow still covering the mountaintops. We hadn't planned ahead. Within hours, we were at a ski shop buying jackets, gloves, and hiking boots.

It should have been a disaster. Instead, it became one of the most memorable trips of our lives.

One afternoon, we drove to Kaikoura for lunch. As we rounded a curve and saw the ocean, I had to pull over. In a single panoramic view, there were purple snow-capped mountains, green hills dotted with white lambs, and turquoise water. Almost every color of the rainbow. I've traveled extensively, but the South Island of New Zealand remains the most beautiful place I've ever been.

Here's what that trip taught me about real estate: Sometimes the best outcomes happen when you stay flexible and open to what you didn't plan for.

I see this play out constantly in Southern Westchester. Clients come to me with a specific checklist—they want Bronxville schools, a colonial with four bedrooms, a certain street, a particular budget. And sometimes, that's exactly what they get.

But more often, the homes that truly win their hearts are the ones they didn't expect. The Eastchester Tudor they almost skipped because it wasn't a colonial. The Tuckahoe neighborhood they'd never considered until I showed them the community feel. The Scarsdale property that stretched their budget but offered something their original criteria couldn't capture.

Last year, I worked with a couple who'd been searching for six months with a rigid list of requirements. We expanded the search by one neighborhood—just one—and within two weeks, they were under contract on a home they describe as "perfect, in ways we didn't even know we wanted."

Like that trip to New Zealand, they had to adapt their plan. They bought new "gear" for a different journey than they'd imagined. And it was absolutely worth it.

Here's What I Tell Every Client at Our First Meeting:

Have your criteria. Know what matters to you. But stay open to possibilities. Some of the best homes in Southern Westchester won't check every box on your list—they'll offer something better that you hadn't thought to ask for.

The right home isn't always the one you planned for. Sometimes it's the one that surprises you when you round the corner.

What surprised you most about your home search? I'd love to hear your experience in the comments.