Searching for a home can be exhausting with excess inventory on the market. Home values have fallen and it’s still a buyer’s market. Your time is important and they may spend hours each weekend attending open houses before finding the right home for you. By being prepared, you can use your time more efficiently and collect the necessary data.
When you attend an open house, you can expect to see a real estate agent showing the house, unless it is a house that is for sale by owner. In this case, be prepared to deal directly with the homeowner. However, most of the time you will be dealing with the agent who represents the seller.
Before you leave home you want to have a good idea of where you are going. If you plan to see multiple houses that day, you should take a few minutes to plot your journey using Google Maps, printing out directions from one place to the next.
Now that you have your itinerary planned for the day, it’s time to make a list of the important things to keep in mind when viewing an open house. Before getting out of the car, look at the surrounding houses; are they well preserved? If the house you are looking at is the only nice house on the block, it may affect the value later on. You’ll also want to note if the house is next to an industrial area or near a busy street. This can also have a negative effect on the value of the house.
When viewing the house, don’t be afraid to interact with the agent showing it. Find out details like; how long the house has been on the market, age, square footage, etc. Use your nose; sniff for unpleasant odors that may indicate a problem, such as pet stains or mold. Look for water stains on both the floorboards and the ceiling. This may indicate a flood or roof leak, both of which can be expensive to repair if not addressed beforehand.
Examine the walls and foundation for cracks and anything out of the ordinary; for example, if one wall is painted in a room but the rest are not, it may be a sign that something is being covered up. If you are interested in the house, it is important that you take the time to look at it. Of course, a lot will be found when you do your home inspection, but it doesn’t hurt to know what you’re getting into.