Have you looked at a few homes online that fit all of your criteria? No Open Houses available? Saw a virtual tour but want to see more?
Then it’s time for the fun part: home tours!
Home tours or showings are your opportunity to walk through a home and get a feel for what it has to offer. It’s usually the best part of the home buying process as it’s your chance to imagine what your future home could really be like - have the realization that this is actually happening. But amidst the excitement it’s important that you don’t forget to look for potential issues that you could either need to take on or negotiate on. As your Realtor, we’ll be helping you with this but it helps to have a plan before we get there.
BEFORE SCHEDULING THE TOUR:
Have a checklist in place for all the things you’ll be looking for in each & every house. Our list of essentials are included further down
Review the seller’s disclosure & discuss anything you’re unsure about with your Realtor
Find out if there is an offer deadline in place at this time
Pick a time that you KNOW you’ll be able to be on time! You won’t be the only ones touring the home and so you want to make the most of your time slot. You also want enough time to make some observations on the way to the house.
ON YOUR WAY TO THE HOUSE:
Observe traffic patterns, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the area
If possible, try getting there from your place of work so you know what that drive will be like.
Take a note of any places of interest that excite you or bring up concerns (it all depends on what you and your family enjoys doing)
When you enter the neighborhood, take note of the street layouts, any available street parking, if there are walkable areas (assuming that’s something that is important to you), etc. Take your time as this can be just as important as the house itself - that means you need to plan accordingly!!
DURING YOUR TOUR:
There are several things you want to look out for while also imaging this as your possible future home. As we said before, you should have a checklist already set prior to entering the house. As promised above, here’s our list!
Ritter Home Tour Essentials
You’ll want to make sure these are on your checklist - and you can be sure we’ll be on the look out for these while we’re with you.
-
Mold will smell like wet socks; Mildew-musty odor; Gas smell could mean a compromised valve for a hot water heater, etc. Be sure to voice any weird smells as you’re walking through and make a note of where in the house you could smell it.
-
Warped or bouncy floors could mean there is rotting wood, termites or even low-quality construction issues to keep in mind. Look for cracks in the walls/ceiling that are larger than 1/8 of an inch. And check the foundation for any signs of damage, staining, etc.
-
Signs of potential water damage can include: stains, bubbling on walls or ceilings, buckling baseboards or flooring, etc. If you’re unsure just point it out and/or take a photo of the questionable area to bring to the attention of the listing agent.
-
Look out for exposed or eroded wires, warm/vibrating outlets, and/or flickering lights. Don’t forget to take a look at the electrical box too!
-
Turn on faucets and see what the water looks like, if there are any excessive noises while running, and any leaks under the sinks & fixtures. (TURN OFF BEFORE LEAVING THE ROOM! Yes, we know it’s common sense but there’s always a possibility for being distracted during the tour so if everyone is thinking about it, we can lower the chances of this being missed.)
-
Don’t just skip these or poke your head in. These areas will have the most likely signs for water damage, rotting wood, and water intrusion issues in the form of white, chalky substance on the wall. So take the time to look around.
Being informed and prepared will make this process easier for you. If you every have any questions or concerns about buying a house, our team is here for you!
Use the form below to get in touch with us today!