10 Tips When Viewing a Home In Person

Always Ask for Clarification. Your real estate agent is there to be a resource of information. Ask away and if there’s anything they don’t know on the spot they can get those answers for you shortly thereafter.

Look Past the Imperfections. Every home that’s not new construction will have proof of usage. Whether it’s the carpet needing a good shampooing, a squeaky door that can be fixed, or a dent in the wall - these happen from time to time and most of them can be remedied.

Consider the Weather. Sometimes you can get unlucky with a foggy or cloudy day when you want to see the home’s potential view. Don’t let that be the reason you cross a home off the list.

Take a Drive Around the Neighborhood. Get a good feel for the neighborhood by driving, or even walking, through the neighborhood. Neighboring homes’ conditions, road safety, and even friendly neighbors’ input can be important influences in your buying decision.

Cosmetics Can Be Changed. A lot of buyers get scared away by a bad paint color, clutter, or “unique” furniture. Look past these issues as they can be remedied fairly quickly.

Keep Your Nose Up. Not every home smells like roses, but keep in mind the smells that can affect you. Mold or cigarette smoke in the walls can be tough to get out and should be inspected and/or negotiated to be remedied. If the home is completely filled with candles scented as chocolate chip cookies, perhaps the seller is masking something. On the other hand, don’t dismiss the home if it mildly smells like a dog or a cat’s litter box - some sellers are living there and those smells usually can be eliminated with a good cleaning.

Important Items May Be Negotiated. If there are items that you can’t fix yourself and the repairs or replacements are extremely important to you, then ask for them in the offer. This could be a very old water heater, carpet that has permanent damage, or even a roof that’s well beyond its useful lifetime. Sometimes even the seller can be extremely handy or even be a handyman/contractor and fix some items themselves for everyone’s benefit.

Test Out Your Commute. Know how long your commute will be to and from the office. My favorite tool for calculating commute time is Google Maps. Just plug in the address of the home, and your office’s address - then click on the “Leave Now” button and enter in the times you typically leave for the office. 

Picture Your Day-to-Day Routine in The House. From making your first cup of coffee in the morning to reading books to your kids at night, run through your typical day and picture yourself living in the house. It may shed light on things that are most important to you in a house; whether it’s the outdoor space, office, or gourmet kitchen.  

Be Mindful of the Current Owners. Most active listings have the owner(s) still living there and some find it a little unnerving that someone is inside their home looking around. It’s important that you get enough information when visiting a home to get a good feeling whether you’d want to live there or not, but make sure you go above and beyond respecting the home. Only open cabinets and drawers that you need to and be sure you leave everything just as nice as when you entered.