Touch- The 3 dimensional sense that leads to all the others.

We rarely consider the feeling of touch as important to us in a real estate transaction. What is the mind’s definition of what feels good? Shouldn’t it be that of actually having a sense of being? That sense of being includes the 3 dimensional relationships of our bodies to that which surrounds us.

Being able to actually touch and feel a building and that which makes it what it is, encompasses our final reaction to what makes us want to be in a place.  Touch is one of the essential elements of self that allows us to have a relationship that defines ourselves with one space versus another.

Sense of touch and being.

What our mind remembers longer is the combination of feelings of touch more than simply sight.  

Out of sight / less in one’s mind

Views through the electronic looking glasses reduces our expectations of what something feels like into a combination and permutation of screens of light from plastic diodes we call mobile devices.  

Only using electronic images tends to numb our senses to the primal elemental of understanding of what an element is.  

To truly get a sense of a place one needs to capture a sense of touch that reaches one’s inner being.

The elements of touch may be the texture of a wall, the feel of wood trim or marble countertop. When we take time to touch the world around us we grasp the essence of not only the elements we touch but also how they fit into the space in a sense of time.

For real estate professionals over the years one grasps this concept allowing one’s mind to rapidly know the feel of the touch of a place based on the elements that define that space.  It is within this understanding one gets a true sense of “what is this place worth” and then “what is this place worth to me, a potential Buyer, a potential user.”

For the first time home buyer or those that do not do this analysis often in their lives, the sensitivity to these feelings within themselves is at first less of a conscious part of their decision making.  The actions of swiping one’s way left around this thought process leads to regrettable choices.  

it is better to sense right than to swipe.

It is important as someone considering buying or leasing a space to understand how the materials that define the space feel on their fingers, their backs, their feet.  Going beyond simply pictures when one clearly can remember the “feel” of a places, bricks, wooden floors, trim that defines the elements you are better able to clarify and consistently think through what space fits best for you.

This mind alignment with space and the material world within or defining that space can be anywhere. Inside a building the defining could relate to columns in a high ceiling that feels smooth to a shiny textured wall reflecting light within a space.

The senses of touch on the outside maybe the feel of a tree branch or shrubs, along a path of gravel underfoot.  All these senses of touch may relate to a sense of smell and or sounds. 

As a human we generally enjoy a sense of peace as a comforting expression of just being.  This brings forth the thoughts of a “relax factor” when at the end of the day a potential occupant of a place stands or sits in a space, fingers touching what is around them with eyes relaxed and that complete feeling of “Yes! This is where I want to be!”

How do we perceive this “relax factor” from one place to another? How do we carry that feeling from room to room, space to space? 

Here is a list of “relax factors” to help you decide what is most important to you:

Zen criteria – Where overall do I feel good in a place?

Porchability – Is there a porch, veranda, balcony that I can and would want to use?  How does it feel below your feet to walk on the porch?

Inside – How do the walls feel? Are there details or lack of details that makes one feel a part of the place or a part of the space?  Lean on the wall.  How does this feel?

Outside – How does outside feel? How are the spaces defined? Is there opportunity to create more?

Garage – Can this be a place for tinkering to create the next billion dollar idea or is it just for storage?

Eatables – Where would one eat? 

- The kitchen, living room and/or outside? Consider the “eatables” basis for how you live your life.

- Do you and whomever you share the spaces with consider the touch of floors important? Some people like to walk barefoot, others don’t allow shoes in their home.  How does the feel of the floors on one’s feet effect you? Does the floors make a place cold, rough, smooth, pretty, ugly or pretty ugly?

Other “place” considerations may include:

• Party palace room.
• Counter for food prep, daiquiris, and bar. 
• Barbecue area.
• Pool area.
• Jacuzzi.
• Game room. 
• TV spots - for sports or watching movies or otherwise.

Our minds speak to us through a complicated process of multiple senses of the physical that come together to define our mental.  We are so much more than the sum of our parts.  We just need to acknowledge that greatness from within ourselves beyond the literal black and white, cut and dry view of objects and allow our minds to focus more on the spaces within those objects that we touch.