Buying a home can be intimidating and many people begin their home buying search by attending open houses. This is a great way to see the inventory of homes in a community that you would like to live in, but you also need to be strategic in your search. Use these open house tips when going to search for your perfect home.
1: Know your Budget
If you have made the decision to begin to tour homes, then you are serious about a purchase. The first open house tip for buyers is to speak to a mortgage lender early on, so you know your budget. It’s great to look at homes, but if they are not within your budget, you do not want to fall in love with something that you are unable to finance. I know, it’s tempting, but trust me – don’t do that to yourself!
2: Write Down your Needs and Wants
If working with an agent, one of the first things that they will do is analyze your Home Buyer Needs and Wants. If you aren’t working with an agent yet, you need to do this for yourself. The second open house tip for buyers is for you and any other decision maker to write down your needs and wants. Then begin to tour homes to evaluate whether they meet your home buying criteria. When at the Open House, you should be measuring the home against your needs first and then see if it also has any of your additional wants.
3: Tour the Neighborhood
The third open house tip for home buyers is to tour the neighborhood, even before touring the house. Start with a map to see how far the home is from any amenities, parks, the beach, or work – whatever is important to you. Drive through the neighborhood and see if the neighborhood meets any of your home buying criteria. If you see any neighbors, you may even speak to them and ask about their experience in the neighborhood.
Examples of neighborhood characteristics that may or may not be important to you:
- Sidewalks
- Mature trees
- Maintenance and condition of the other homes in the neighborhood
- Proximity of the neighboring homes
- Street parking
- Homes in the neighborhood are all similar or different
- Individual or community mailboxes
- The street has a lot of traffic
If you are planning on visiting a home during an open house, you may even consider driving through the neighborhood beforehand. Once you answer the question of whether the neighboring is appealing to you, that may be a determining factor even being seeing the home.
4: Be Memorable - In A Good Way!
During the Open House, make a good impression on the agent. They may be the seller’s representation, or it may be another agent who is hosting on their behalf. All sellers are different, but there are some that are extremely attached to their home and they want it to go to a good buyer.
Ask questions are you are there. You can find out a lot of information online now about homes, but an Open House is a good opportunity to ask about anything! You may have some questions that the agent does not have the answer to at the time of the Open House, so just be prepared for some follow-up.
When touring the Open House, do not be disparaging about the home. Today, people install cameras and recording equipment both outside and inside their home. You don’t want the homeowner to watch their recordings later and find that you were discussing all of the things that you did not like about the house. The seller is the one making the decision on who they sell their home to, so you do not want any remarks made during your house visit to be a deterrent to the seller.
Questions you may ask while touring the home:
Has there been other offers made on the home?
How long has the property on the market?
Has the home had any updates?
Is the home in a flood zone?
What is the age of the home systems – Roof, HVAC, etc.
5: Interview the Agent
Open Houses are a great opportunity for first time home buyers to find an agent to represent them. You will see the agent in action, can speak with them and ask questions. Build rapport and see if this is a person you would want to be your advisor and representation moving forward in your search, regardless of whether you decide to make an offer on the home you are touring or any other home.
6: Know What to Look For
When touring an open house, make a few passes through the home. This brings us to open house tip 6 for buyers, which is knowing what to look for.
During your first pass, look at the aesthetic of the home and the features. You want to look past any wall paint colors or wallpaper that may not be your style. Consider what your own furnishings would look like in the home. Determine if you could visualize you or your and your family living there. If not, there is no need to look around anymore and you can find another home to tour.
If you could see yourself in the home, you want to take another pass through the house. This time, you want to look for things like uneven floors; water stains on the floors, ceilings, or walls; and cracks in the walls or ceilings. In the kitchens and bathrooms look around the cabinets, sinks and countertops and look for any damage. On the exterior of the home, look for any repairs to the exterior of the house – on brick, wood, or stucco. These are things that you want to consider if you plan on making an offer on the home.
7: Take Notes
Taking notes while touring an open house or while sitting in your car afterwards is vital. If you are touring multiple open houses, the homes and their features may blur together. Write down the things you liked about the home, any feature that you liked that was not described in the overview of the home. As you tour the neighborhood, take notes on the things that appeal to you and what does not. Even write down how you felt directly after touring the home. These notes will help you as you begin to make decisions on whether you would like to make an offer on a house.
