Preparing To Purchase Your First Home? Viewing Tips To Improve The Selection Process

The process of buying a first home is hard work. First, there is the necessity of getting your financials in order, including saving up for a down payment and closing costs, as well as applying for and securing an affordable mortgage. After these needs are met, first-time buyers are ready to begin viewing available homes for sale as they work toward making their final selection. If you are preparing to purchase your first home and are looking for ways to improve the process, these practical home viewing tips can help. 

Opt for a short viewing list for each trip

Viewing homes is interesting and enjoyable, unless you try to look at too many in one day. Even worse than the fatigue factor, however, is the fact that viewing more than two or three per day can leave prospective buyers struggling to remember which one had the stone fireplace and which one had the to-die-for master bath. To avoid becoming tired, confused, or just plain frustrated from looking at too many homes in a single session, ask your real estate professional to limit each outing to three or less.  

Make it a date

Getting the most out of each home viewing can become even more difficult if the prospective buyers are distracted by the needs of their children during a viewing. Instead of paying attention to the features of the home and any potential issues it may have, parents who view homes along with their children often find they cannot remember much about any of the homes they just viewed.  

To avoid this, buyers with children may want to treat preliminary viewing outings somewhat like a date and get a sitter for the kids. Once the viewing is complete, prospective buyers should consider taking time to grab some coffee and spend time comparing notes on the homes they just toured. When you have narrowed the list down to just a couple of homes, ask your real estate agent to schedule another viewing so that you can see the houses again along with your children so you can get their input on which one they like best.

Dress for comfort and safety

Another way to improve the home viewing and selection process is to make sure that you are dressed for both comfort and safety. The perfect shoe choices for viewing homes is often a sturdy yet comfortable walking shoe with a small heel. Since some homeowners want guests to remove their shoes at the door, a slip-on shoe style can be best. 

In addition to comfortable shoes that will ensure a sure-footed experience when walking on unfamiliar surfaces, it is also important to make sure that clothing is comfortable. Since you will likely be bending and stretching, as well as climbing stairs and getting in and out of the car several times, choose casual clothing that fits well but is not restrictive when you move around. A warm sweater or light jacket may also be needed to keep you comfortable when going from the car to the home and back again, or when viewing the yard or the grounds around each home. 

Take along some tools

When looking at homes, prospective buyers often need to know whether their furnishings are likely to fit or whether their tallest relative will be comfortable when visiting. Taking along a simple cloth tape measure will allow you to take any measurements you might need. Other tools that come in handy are a small flashlight and a pad of paper and a pencil to jot down details and information. 

For even more ideas on improving your home viewing and selection process, take time to discuss your thoughts with your real estate professional. They can offer advice or solutions to any specific viewing problems that you may have.