Buyer Tips For Open Houses

Looking at real estate is FUN! Whether you are seriously looking or just popping in to see what your neighbours did to upgrade their powder room, a lot of folks spend some time on the weekend going through open houses. When you are a serious buyer and looking for a home starts taking up weekends and evenings to find "the one." Take note of these few tips to keep the house hunting fun and efficient:

1. Slip to get in & out of open houses like a pro by wearing slip on shoes with socks. Not every home is tidy or warm so socks are a always a good idea. Shoes with no laces that you can slip in and out of while standing make getting it easy to move on to the next stop on the tour with ease.   

2. Bring an open mind. Sometimes listing photos are not the best representation of the home and doesn't show off her best angels. Be open to looking at something that might not look great at first glance on MLS. 

3. Snacks and H2O. If you are doing more than 3 showings bring a snack and keep water in the car. Hangry house hunting is the worst!

4. Keep to schedule. If you are running 5 mins late let the listing agent know so they can notify other appointments - it's common courtesy. Your realtor will be managing this for you behind the scenes if you are wondering why they are sneaking texts while you are looking at the basement.

5. If you are touring without your agent. Introduce yourself and give your Realtor's name to the listing agent. It helps everyone navigate the new board rules and they will give you a bit of space to look at the home. Even better if you have your agents card with you for them to follow up with any new information on the property.

6. Recap your tour with other decision makers. If you are buying with a partner, spouse, parent or business partner talk about what you liked and disliked about each property. Did any new must haves or deal breakers come up? Provide your Realtor with a summary of your conversation.

Happy House Hunting!

-Natalie