Home shopping can be both exciting and exhausting, but doing some preparation before you hit the streets to look at homes will help out tremendously.
When it’s time to get out and see some of your favorite online picks, your agent will schedule the appointments for your previews. Here are some things you and your family can do to make the most of your home shopping time:
- ALLOW PLENTY OF ADVANCED NOTICE - Most home sellers have a specified window of time when they'll allow showings and require some advanced notice. We do our very best to schedule showings at times that are convenient for all parties.
- LIMIT THE NUMBER OF HOMES YOU SEE ON EACH TRIP - When you view too many homes in one day the details tend to run together. Limit yourself to a maximum of 4-5 homes per outing so you can remember the specifics of each house.
- IGNORE THE DECOR - Try your best to look past the seller's decorating and color choices if they aren't similar to yours. Instead, focus on the floorplan and fit of each house. The rest can be changed.
- TAKE NOTES - Bring a notebook, pen, and camera with you on your outing. Your agent should also take notes to help keep your thoughts about each property organized. Your agent will provide detailed printouts of each property so you can reference the particulars easily.
- BE HONEST - Tell your agent what you like and don't like about each house. You may not find your dream home on your first outing, so your honest feedback will help your agent as you continue your search.
- ASK QUESTIONS - Ask all of your questions. If your agent can't answer them all right away, it's likely that he or she can find the answers for you quickly.
- PREPARE THE KIDS - Get your kids involved and excited about your upcoming move! Ask your agent about ways to make your family feel included in the home shopping and decision-making process.
- BE WILLING TO SEE SOME 'NOs' - Consider seeing some houses that aren't exactly what you're looking for. You can get to know the market, become familiar with pricing, and build a relationship with your agent. And even with today's technology, some homes may look and feel much different in person than they seem online.