The spring real estate market is heating up more quickly than the weather with houses hitting the market and selling at record speed.
Today’s homebuyers must be primed and ready with a pre-approval letter in hand, a flexible house-hunting schedule, and the willingness to act fast on a property they like.
Buyers will want to make the most of every open house they attend.
Are you on the hunt for a home? Here are some tips that will help you maximize your open house visits to ensure you’re ready to roll when you find the home you seek.
Know before you go
Due diligence is key in a hot real estate market. Take time to research the home you will tour before you step foot on the property. Look up information about the neighborhood and area offerings. Gather details about the local schools. Compare the home to others that have recently sold in the community.
Tools to take
Grab a handy-dandy notebook and a measuring tape to take along to your house visits. You’ll want to jot down details the listing agents share and make notes of your own. It’s also important to free up storage space on your smartphone in preparation for the photos you will snap in each of the homes you tour.
Slow your role
The real estate market may be fast-paced, but that doesn’t mean you have to rush your open house visit. Plan to stay awhile. Ask the onsite real estate agent to take you on a tour to see all that the house has to offer inside and out. Make sure to ask questions about the various rooms, renovations or upgrades you see, and more. Following the guided tour, linger a bit. Return to the spaces that caught your eye, good or bad. Snap photos and take it all in to ensure you can remember what you saw.
Put on a poker face
It’s best to remain cool and calm during an open house visit. Whether you are super excited about a home or simply not impressed, you’ll want to keep your emotions in check. You never know, the other “buyers” in the home may be neighbors sneaking in to get a peek or even the homeowners stopping back in to grab something they forgot.
Walk it out
Don’t just tour the home, walk around the neighborhood too. Stroll down the sidewalk to familiarize yourself with the surrounding houses and roads. Strike up a conversation with anyone you pass along the way to gather further information about the community. Watch the traffic flow to see if the road is used as a cut-through or if drivers follow the speed limit. These details may make a difference when it comes time to make a decision on the home.