Looking at Houses

Since the beginning of the new year there has been an uptick in activity. The web site is showing more hits, we are getting more phone calls and most importantly, showings and offers.

For me, as a Realtor, there are different "modes" for showing homes. There are the buyers that are out there, calling occasionally when they see something of interest. There is the buyer "out of the blue" who calls and just wants to see one listing and there are the folks who have decided they are seriously looking. We go out and see everything that could fit their needs.

Occasionally there are those, usually transferring from another town, who want to see everything at once, 10, 15 maybe even twenty homes in a day. This is not the best approach unless you are forced by circumstances.

More commonly I set up five or six homes at a time. Sometimes people prefer to see fewer. If we are starting at 10 am I set the first showing for 10 am to 11 am, the second is set to overlap for 10:15 am to 11:15 am and so on. I adjust the overlap depending on drive times. This way we can spend more or less time at any given house. If one house cancels it doesn't screw up the whole schedule.

Everyone is different. Some folks will spend a lot of time in every house while others breeze through almost like they aren't even looking. Its just a personality thing.

There is a question that often comes up, regardless of the type of buyer. How do I keep track of these? After a while it might be hard to remember which house had the new roof or which kitchen didn't have a dishwasher.

Here's a helpful idea that you might like even if you are the type who takes written notes on every house.

As you leave each house give it a rank in your head. Compare everything to your favorite. Always have a favorite even if you don't like the first house, call it your favorite. If you don't like the second house, still choose a "favorite" between the two you don't like.

I think you will find if you consciously decide which is the best when you walk out the door of every house you look at, you will remember more details about all of them. You will certainly remember the top two or three in more detail.

J. T.