Housing season is among us. You have probably started noticing the Open House signs lining up on busy street corners the past couple of weekends directing potential homebuyers to properties available for viewing. As you get ready to embark on the adventure of viewing homes you hope to purchase, here are some tips to go in prepared:

 

Research – Research the properties ahead of time. This will allow you to remove homes from your list that are not within your budget or do not have the specifics you want. It will also help you prioritize where to start your day of viewing. Knowing about the property before you step foot inside gives you a leg up and allow you to make a more educated decision on the property.

 

Stay Organized –Especially after looking at multiple homes, keeping the facts straight can get confusing and mixing up the details is easy to do. Create a binder, folder, or notebook with the addresses of potential properties separated and the details neatly listed below. Keep a picture of the property with the specifics and any questions you have all together. You will thank yourself later when you need to move quickly to secure a property.

 

Create a Schedule with Wiggle Room – Make your top pick your first stop. Most likely, you will be traveling to multiple properties throughout the weekend in order to view as many potential purchases as possible. While you do not necessarily need an appointment to view an open house, be careful not to plan on viewing too many properties in one day. You will want to take your time at each home in order to see everything and make the most educated decision when moving forward. Give yourself some wiggle room throughout the day for traveling.

 

Keep Notes – Jot down your thoughts and questions while at each property in your notebook or folder. Ask the home’s representative present at the open house any questions you may have or contact your Realtor for any additional details you would like before making an offer. Keeping notes on your open house adventure will help you recall specifics at the end of the day as you go back over all properties you viewed.

 

Notify Your Realtor – Remember to keep in contact with your Realtor on your findings in order to move quickly when you find a property you wish to make an offer on.