Home Previewing Tips
November 21st, 2009
Categories:Home Buyer Education
Here are some of the best tips we’ve gathered over the years for home buyers to use when previewing homes.
Here are the topics we will cover:
- How to do your homework
- What to bring to your appointment
- Previewing from the “Outside-In”
- Tools to download and use
Doing your Homework
It is very common for home buyers to find a home online, fall in love with it and instantly pick up the phone to make an appointment to preview the home. This type of home searching leads to home buyers seeing hundreds of homes when in reality they could have saved themselves and their Realtor a lot of time by just doing a little bit of homework.
Step 1: Google It
Lets start with Google Maps. By dropping the home address into the search box you can quickly see satellite views and street views. The street view will allow you to move along the neighborhood as if you were driving up and down the streets. This will give you a great snapshot of what the neighborhood and surrounding shopping plazas look like. From time to time the information will be a little outdated, but we’ll get to that in the next step.
Step 2: Drive the Neighborhood
It only take a couple of minutes to check out the neighborhood with Google. If you are still interested in the neighborhood then its time to get in the car and drive the neighborhood. The best time to drive through the neighborhood is anytime during the day, in the evening and on the weekends. You are looking for anything that is important to you ranging from kids in the streets to cars parked on the the neighbors lawn.
If the house still fits your needs, then its time to setup an appointment with your Realtor.
What to Bring to The Appointment
Here’s a question, how much can you remember after seeing 5 to 10 different homes? The answer is, not a whole lot. Which means its important to come prepared with everything possible to help your remember the smallest details of every home. Of course, we are only referring to the homes you actually liked. And don’t forget your friends and family will be asking for pictures and lots of details!
Camera
A simple point and shoot camera will do. All you are really looking to do is capture exactly what you are seeing, there’s no need to go overkill with a telephoto lens.
Video Camera
If you are the type of person that enjoys taking video, then I would suggest you bring along a video camera. If you are in the market for one, the Flip Video cameras are very popular and fairly inexpensive. I’d recommend the UltraHD, here’s the main website link.
Ruler
When you find a home that meets your needs, the next question is always “will the furniture fit?” A standard tape measure will always do the trick. If you’re feeling the need to venture on the techi side then look for a sonic laser tape. Its essentially a tape measure without the tape. It is a lot of fun, but it can have a few draw backs when you are measuring more than simple room dimensions.
Clipboard, Pen and Printouts
You’ll want to print out a copy of the homes you are going to see and attach them to your clipboard. The clipboard will make for an easier surface to take notes on.
Previewing from the Outside-In
As you drive into the neighborhood start taking notes (mental and written) about everything you see. When you pull up to the home take note of the home’s curb appeal. This is a great time to grab the camera and start taking pictures.
Walk around the outside of the home looking for anything of importance; good, bad or otherwise. This will give your Realtor some time to obtain the key and unlock the house.
Once you are inside the house put yourself in the shoes of a guest and in your shoes after coming home from work. Start by touring the home as a guest as you walk through the home and explore all of the home’s features.
Once you’ve completed that, go back to the garage and start the tour again. This time walk through the home as if you are just getting home from work or the grocery store. The main question is, “is the home functional?” Is the door from the garage to the kitchen too far or have too many turns? Are you alright with walking through the laundry room when you come home? Keep in mind, this is how you will see the home 90% of the time. Note: this is a great time to use the video camera.
If you haven’t already checked out the backyard, go ahead and see what it has in store for you. Be sure to walk all the way around the backside of the home. Look at everything from the roof to how the trash can gets pull in and out at night. If you’re like me, dragging trash cans over a bed of small rock is annoying and hard on bare feet… that is assuming you have the tendency to forget to put the trash cans out, resulting in a habit of showing the garbage man what you look like in your pajamas.
Lastly take notes on the home. What did you like and what didn’t you like are great starting points. Always ask yourself, “is this home the right home for me/us?”. If not write down what needs to change in the home to make it perfect, you might be surprised at what a little elbow grease can do to make it the perfect home.
Tools to Download and Use
Here is a template form for you to download and use. Simple enter the home’s street addresses and hit “print”. Bring the sheet along with you to your previewing appointment so you have any easy way to consolidate all your notes. This will make it easier for you to reference later and it will help you remember more of each home.
Home Previewing – Comparison Sheet
If you have any questions, suggestions or tips, feel free to contact us or leave us a comment!
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