TGIF! And then its weekend, and you know what does it mean to you if you are buyer looking for your first home or next home. Dont know what is weekend’s purpose? Certainly you are not working with a realtor and if you are, check my business card at the end and contact me.
Well, here are few things that you need to look for during an Open House.
1. Neighbourhood
Take a walk around to see if it suits your lifestyle. Consider proximity to schools, transportation, shopping/grocery store, parks and other amenities.
2. Exterior
Check house condition by walking around it. Check foundation, exterior pain, cracks in walls or walkways
3. Interior (Walls)
Rather than nail holes or paint, focus on cracks when checking from inside. That could point to a structural issue
4. Appliances
Ask the listing agent about the age of furnace, roof, hot water tank, boiler etc.
Also ask what appliances comes with the purchase.
5. Layout and Flow
Make sure you like the layout of the property and how the rooms flow into each other.
These are the key points that you should focus.
TIP: I know you are a serious buyer and you have already shortlisted the Open House properties for the weekend. Now you can make a list and prioritize above listed items in a sequence (column). And in top row, make 5 columns numbering 1 to 5. Now you just have to tick that box about how much you like that aspect. Too much info? Need a visual? This is how it should look
| Item/Score | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Neighbourhood | |||||
| Exterior of house | |||||
| Interior | |||||
| Appliances | |||||
| Layout |
You can expand this table and breakdown the rows. For example, instead of just Neighbourhood, you can add School, Parks, Safety etc, thus giving you three extra rows instead of one broad Neighbourhood
Well, thats about it!
And as I promised earlier, here is my business card for you if you were not aware of these key checklist items or your realtor did not made you aware.
