Attending an open house is a great opportunity to get a close look at a property you're interested in buying. Dress comfortably but put together, and don't be afraid to ask questions. Here are some things to look for:
Open houses are important for buyers because they provide the opportunity to see the property in person and get a better sense of its features, condition, and overall feel. It can be challenging to get a sense of a property's layout and features from photos alone, and an open house can provide a more realistic and immersive experience.
Before you head out to your first open house, we want to answer your top questions about them and to point out some tips and tricks you can use to give a good impression to the listing agent and home seller, as well as how you can make the most of the experience.
Can anyone go to an open house? In most cases, yes. Even if you don’t want to purchase the home, you can usually attend the open house anyway. Your real estate agent may need to book you an appointment to tour the home. But in many cases, open houses are advertised for certain days and times and the listing agent will encourage anyone who may be interested in the home to show up. If you haven’t chosen an agent to work with yet, contact the listing agent on the home for more details about how you can attend an open house.
Sometimes you’ll find details about open house times and dates on the digital listing for the home or in ads in the local paper. When you drive by an open house sign, you can usually find details about when you can attend the open house directly on the sign. If you come across a home you’re interested in and the open house details aren’t readily available, have your agent give the listing agent a call to learn more.
When you arrive at an open house, you don’t have to ring or knock, you can typically just walk right in unless instructed to do otherwise.
You don’t have to worry too much about what to wear to an open house, because it is a fairly informal event, but you do want to dress respectfully. Dress for comfort when you have multiple open houses to attend in a single day, but make sure you’re pulled together.
You need to know what to look out for at an open house to get the most out of the experience. Keep an eye out for the following things when you attend your next open house:
When you tour homes, there’s a few handy things you should bring with you to get the most out of the experience. If you’re truly considering buying the home, you’ll want to take advantage of the access you have during the open house to nail down some important details.
It’s helpful to bring the following items with you to an open house:
Don’t be afraid to ask questions when you go to an open house. When you buy a home, you need to feel confident in your decision before you place an offer, so feel free to ask the listing agent any questions that come to mind.
There are some small, but important, open house etiquette faux pas you’ll want to avoid when you tour homes. Not only will being on your best behavior help make a good impression on the listing agent and seller, but it’s simply good manners.
Remember, an open house is a really important part of the home buying experience. If you really want to put an offer in on a home, don’t be afraid to ask your real estate agent to arrange a second visit.
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