A Buyer’s Checklist when Viewing a Home

Congratulations- You have decided you are ready to purchase your first home!

You’ve done your homework.. You finances are in order with your pre-approval letter in hand, you’ve decided on your needs/wants, and you have even hired a fabulous agent!

You tell your friends and family how excited you are- that you have been looking at houses online for weeks and are thrilled with all of the possibilities. You decide you want to show them some of your favorites, so you grab your phone and start scrolling the online platform.

Afterwards, you find yourself imagining yourself living in each of the homes and you are eager to start viewing them in person. You call your agent to schedule appointments.

But wait!

There is another very important step you should take to best prepare you for your showing…

You need to have and review your home viewing plan!

This plan should include a list of procedures you need to complete while viewing a home. These steps should help you decide if the home is a good fit by keeping your emotions in check and reminding you to focus only on what’s most important.

Just what should this plan look like?

Here’s our example:

Previewing a Home Procedures :

• Before a showing, read over your wants vs. needs list and revisit your budget.

• Know the comps!How does the price of the home compare to others? Ideally, you don’t want to be the most expensive home on the block. *Your real estate agent should be able to assist you with understanding the pricing of the home.

• Take pictures and videos! Where was the pantry? Linen closets? Shelving in the master closet? You might be surprised to find how just how is easy it is to forget some of the smaller details of the home. Pictures and videos can help jog your memory. 

• Location, location, location!  Take a good look at the location! Remember, there are several ways to cosmetically update a home. However, you cannot change the lot or the location. Make sure you love both!

• Think about the future! Does the home align with your future goals? Consider the size of the home, are you going to out grow it in a few years? What about storage? As you accumulate more, will you have a place to store your things?

• Don’t be hypnotized by the beautiful decor or staging. The sellers want you to buy it and stage it accordingly! Remember, the decor will be gone by the time you move in, so when viewing the home, really focus on the features that cannot be changed as easily.

• Inspect the neighborhood, not just the house. Is this a community you want to be a part of? What do you find appealing? Does it have an HOA? A MUD or a PID?

• Consider all of the expenses of that home. What do the average utility bills look like? Are there any energy efficient features? Is it in an HOA? What are the taxes like?
• Finally, Take your time while viewing the home! This is one of the largest purchases you’ll ever make so it’s worth it to learn as much as you can while you’re there. ⁣

Bottom Line:

Even if it’s love at first sight, stick to your home viewing plan! With what can be a very emotional process, a plan will help keep you on track, so you can make your BEST home buying decision.