Do's and Don'ts at Open Houses if you are a buyer

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Open houses for buyers are a great way of finding out if the pictures you saw of a home on the internet are as good or bad as you might think, and can be a 'quiet' way of investigating if a home has what you want.  There are do's and don'ts though that you may want to consider as they will make the experience better for everyone.

Do be prepared to make an offer.  Sometimes new listings are 'held' to be introduced at an open house, before the home even gets listed within the local Multiple Listing Service.  If you are working with an agent, call them on their cell and tell them to meet you at the open house.  If you are not working with an agent, understand that the agent within the house is working for the seller and may not have your interests in mind....they will be fair and truthful, but they are working for the seller to put a deal together, not for you.

Don't let your children roam freely in a house, and don't allow children to bring a bright blue racquetball into the house that they will bounce off the freshly painted walls....to this day I do not regret suggesting to buyers that they may want their daughter to wait outside after I had to ask her to stop (true story).  I am a parent of two children, and I know how accidents happen right in front of my eyes though, and such occurrences can be minimized with supervision.

Do feel comfortable enough to open kitchen cabinets and pantry doors to understand the functionality of such if you really are in the market to buy.  An open house is a great opportunity to feel 'more comfortable' and see if the shoe fits.

Don't be worried if you're asked to sign in. If it were your house, wouldn't you want people to identify themselves before they entered?

Do choose to keep your phone number and email confidential if signing in to an open house...otherwise you may have invited the hosting Realtor to contact you about further interest.

Don't forget to remove your shoes.  Don't put those foot covers over your shoes, remove your shoes, then place the covers on if you would like to wear them.  Shoes should be removed. Many times your shoes can carry small stones in the treads which can mark up hard wood floors and the dampness and small tracks of dirt can pass right thru the foot coverings, even staining a carpet.  Remember, the only other time you see such shoe covers over the shoes is in a sterile hospital environment.

Do come back to an open house if you previously had a private showing.  It can help in answering if that bathroom, that does not have an internet picture, has double sinks, or just one, and if the finished basement was a drop ceiling, or drywall with a plaster coat.

Don't hesitate to visit an open house, even if you're not yet ready to buy.  Open houses are a great way of learning what relative property values and what home designs exist.  Both are great for your own education, and if you later describe the home to a person that IS actively looking, a seller will be most grateful.

Do remember that the agent at the open house is working for the seller and working to get the seller an offer that they want.  If you do not have an agent or attorney, you may not want to enter into negotiations without your own representation.

Don't enter the house with food, a lit pipe, or smoking a cigarette.  This is so obvious I hoped to have left it off, but best to be safe than sorry, so it is here at the end.

Do contact us if you would like to learn more about how we can help you find the house that YOU want to call home. Email Us