Hunting Houses

Hunting Houses

100 Real Estate Tips in 100 Days (Day 91)

After all of the research on the internet, deciding on which Realtor® to work with, interviewing lenders and making loan applications, and getting more advice from friends and family than you really need or want, it’s time to look at property. Whether you are looking for condos, lofts, houses, new homes or classic craftsman, you are going to get in a car and hit the streets. Here are some tips:

Dress comfortably. You may end up really looking a house of you find one you like, meaning peeking into every corner, and checking every nook and cranny. Wear slip off footwear. Many home owners would rather you did not track the outside all over their carpet, so honor their request for no shoes on the inside. Bring a camera for outside shots, but respect the homeowner’s privacy regarding inside shots. Bring water and stay hydrated, especially if you are from out of the Denver area. Bring a notepad, and take notes. Finding the right house to call home is a process, and you will need to have notes to refer to as you search. Take a break after every six or seven houses. Your Realtor should do this, but if not, you should control this process. Looking at houses is exciting, but it is also hard and emotionally difficult work. Taking a break for lunch or coffee help to reorganize your thoughts and redirect the search as necessary.
Searching for your new home can be stressful. If you have children, try to arrange for child care. By all means, when it gets down to the home or a choice of two or three, involving the children can be a good thing for the whole family. However, dragging children through 20 homes in 2 days can be an excruciating experience for parents and child, so if at all possible, try to make house hunting an adult activity.
Communicate your likes and dislikes. There is not sense plowing through a dozen 2 story homes if you discover early on that the only type of house you want is a ranch. If you have to have a main floor master, stop looking at upper level master suites. If you do not want to spend more than $400,000, it makes no sense to look at $500,000 houses. You agent is not physic, so expressing you likes and dislikes makes the process better and more efficient for you.
Bring a positive attitude. You will view many homes that are not right for you, but you are only looking for one. As much as the search has been aided by the internet there is still a need to visit and compare a collection of the most likely homes.
Most of all make it fun. Enjoy the experience as a unique opportunity to discover and learn about neighborhoods, schools, shopping, and all of the things that come together to make a house a home. Laughter and levity will help ro make a very serious activity a little easier for you and your family.