Our Open House schedule for this coming weekend will be posted soon...please check back!
Research properties you want to see in the area you're looking to buy in and schedule your day accordingly so you hit up open houses in one area, move on to the next area and so on. Allow yourself enough time to see each home and travel to the next one.
You've specifically taken time out to look at this house, so get down to business. The Real Estate Agent hosting the open house will hand out a property description sheet with information like square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms and special features. Use it to take notes and check off things as you walk through the house. Whatever things seem important, make sure to discuss with the agent and get more clarity.
Sellers generally "put their best food forward" in their homes so most houses are professionally staged before listing, so pick up lots of ideas about layout, décor and features. Picture yourself in these homes to explore your likes and dislikes. The no-pressure atmosphere means you can have a lot of fun. At the same time, it's valuable "work." Visiting a few open houses on your own means you'll have a running start with your real estate agent when you're ready to begin your actual house-hunting search with your real estate agent.
Open House really helps you compare values when you're close to making an offer on a house or have narrowed down your search to a specific neighborhood or two. Seeing other homes will help you feel comfortable that you're getting a fair price or help you work with your agent to establish a good offer price. Having attended nearby open houses can also help you negotiate a better deal if the comparable homes have similar features that impact the price.
It's okay to ask about the seller's motivation and if there are any offers. Find out if there are special assessments or other fees. And it doesn't hurt to get the agent's insight on the neighbourhood and nearby schools. Understand your tastes and preferences, you're likely to meet representatives from several brokerages at different open houses. If you haven't yet selected a buyer's agent to work with, you can get a sense of which brokerages you prefer. Then contact the open house listing agent to get a recommendation for colleagues you can reach out to have an exploratory meeting. Make your open house experience pleasant!