Looking for a home can be exhausting with the excess inventory on the market. Home values have fallen and it continues to be a buyer’s market. Your time is important and it can take hours each weekend attending open houses before you find the home for you. By being prepared you can utilize your time more efficiently and gather the necessary data.
When attending an open house you can expect to meet a real estate agent that is showing the home, unless it is a home that is for sale by owner. In this case be prepared to deal directly with the owner of the home. However, the majority of the time you will be dealing with the agent representing the seller.
Before leaving home you want to have a good idea of where you will be going. If you plan on viewing several homes that day you should take a few minutes to plot your trip using Google Maps, printing off directions from one place to the next.
Now that you have your itinerary planned for the day it is time to make a list of important things to look at when viewing an open house. Before stepping out of the car look at the surrounding homes; are they well kept? If the home you are viewing is the only nice looking home on the block it may affect the value later down the road. You will also want to make a note if the home is next to an industrial area or close to a busy street. This too may have a negative affect on the home’s value.
When viewing the home don’t be afraid to interact with the agent showing it. Find out details such as; how long the home has been on the market, age, square feet, etc. Use your nose; smell for any off odors that may indicate a problem such as pet stains or mildew. Look for water stains on both the floor boards and the ceiling. This can indicate flooding or a leak from the roof, both of which may be costly 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 aren’t it may be a sign that something is being covered up.
If you are interested in the home it is important to take the time to go through it. Of course many things will be found when the home inspection is done but it doesn’t hurt to know what you are getting yourself into.
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Learn more about the home buying process and if you are considering buying a home in the Boise area be sure to check out the Boise Real Estate site.
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