A Manhattan real estate agent recently commented that she felt like she was selling commercial real estate, not residential, because her buyers were so dispassionate and detached in the purchase of their future home.

Purchasing a home has long been about buyers making an emotional connection. The recent downturn has forced buyers to use their head rather than their heart when considering a new home. Crunching numbers has replaced “falling in love” and math trumps sentiment.

Anecdotally we have seen some buyers making that important connection with a home and using both heart and head to make a decision. Such was the case with a recent home for sale in Westchester. The listing was aggressively priced and several builders loved the land, but they thought the house was a good “teardown” and could yield a decent profit.

The sellers, who have lived in their home for many decades, were adamant their charming home be sold to a family who would cherish it as much as they have. They rejected a builder’s as-is asking price offer.

Two competing offers surfaced from families who wrote to the buyers, accompanied by family photos, pledging their love and affection for the home - and both gave over asking price offers. The family that ultimately purchased the home are thrilled, and acknowledge that the the attachment they made drove their heart as well as their head when it came to buying this home.

Do you think that emotions should enter into residential real estate decisions?