It's easy enough to sit at home and browse real estate listings at your own convenience. But when it comes time to actually see the homes in person that you are considering, you may not be sure quite what to do. The following tips should help you have a productive and pleasant outing when visiting homes for sale with your real estate agent.
1. Plan your route in advance.
Often your real estate agent will do this for you, but if they do not give you a schedule of the homes in advance, go ahead and ask for one. It's nice to know what homes you'll be visiting and in what order ahead of time so that you can do a little research on each one and look at a map beforehand.
2. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes.
People often wonder what they should wear to a real estate showing. Unlike decades ago, there's no reason to dress up — real estate has become a lot less formal in recent times. However, you shouldn't wear sweat pants, either. Business casual is always appropriate. Make sure your shoes are comfortable as you'll be doing a lot of walking, and also make sure they're easy to remove as you will potentially be asked to remove them when you enter some homes.
3. Bring a notebook.
When you see multiple single-family homes in one day, it is so easy to get them confused and to forget what you liked about each one. Bring a notebook along with you, and take some notes about each home. Write down a quick list of what you like, what you don't like, and defining characteristics to help jog your memory later. For instance, you could write "brick home with finished basement" as a brief description of one of the homes.
4. Ask your real estate agent questions.
Remember, your real estate agent is not just along to show you the homes. They are a wealth of information about homes in general, and they can answer a lot of questions you're likely to have as you're seeing these homes. Are you wondering if you should be worried about a 10-year-old furnace? Ask your real estate agent. Are you unsure whether the landscaping is in need of an update? This is something else your agent can offer an opinion on. Their insight can help you choose the home that is right for you.
If you keep the tips above in mind when touring various single-family homes for sale, you should have no trouble forming an opinion on the homes and selecting the right one for your needs. For more information about single-family home listings in your target area, reach out to a local real estate office.
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