Buyer Tips for Open Houses

Buying a home can be and should be exciting—it is a big step! But sometimes the process of buying a new home can be difficult, time-consuming, and often complicated or confusing. Even just looking at homes can be intimidating if you are not sure where to start. Here are a few tips for you that should make things a little easier if you are thinking about starting this exciting process by taking a look at some open houses in your area.

• Have a plan. If you want to spend a couple of hours of your weekend house hunting, then make sure you see as many houses as you can and make the most of it. The good thing about an open house is that you don’t necessarily have to have a realtor with you. This is a good chance to explore on your own and see what is out there. Make a list of the open houses in the area and figure out how many you can visit within the timeframes they are being shown. Make sure to give yourself enough time to see each house without feeling like you have to rush to the next one. If you go in with a plan, you will be able to see more houses and enjoy it more.
• Go inside! Some buyers feel hesitant or anxious to go into an open house because they aren’t sure they like the property enough or they don’t want to be judged as not serious buyers. Trust me; the listing agent will just be happy you came by! You don’t have to be a serious buyer to visit an open house; the purpose of an open house is to generate foot traffic and make sure the property is viewed by as many people as possible, even if they don’t put in an offer.

• Sign in, even if you omit your phone number or email address. This way the agent will have an accurate account of how many people visited the home. And if you like the house and want more information, go ahead and give your phone number or email address! There is no harm in free information.

• (Speaking of free information) If the agent is handing out information, take it! This way you have a frame of reference while touring the house. Usually the information sheets will have the asking price, what is included in the sale (kitchen appliances, washer, dryer, etc.) information about the school district, and more!

• Ask questions about the property. If you are in the market for a home, make sure to bring a list of questions you can ask the listing agent so you have all of the information you need to make an educated decision on a home. What is important to you in a home? If a big lot is important, ask about the acreage of the lot and the square footage of the house. Do you have kids? Ask which school district this house is located in. There are no stupid questions when it comes to real estate. Everyone values different things and every property is different.

 
Open houses are a great place to start your search for your new home; you get an inside look at the different options in the area and you can see different neighborhoods than you would have normally looked at. It is also a great way to get free information (and lots of it!) You don’t have to bring a realtor with you, but if you are serious about looking for a new house to call home and want to know what steps to take, give me a call and we can work together to find you what you’re looking for.