One of the most common questions homebuyers ask me as we're walking around the inside of homes they're considering is "What Should I Be Looking for in the House?" This question arises most commonly among first-time buyers who haven't spent much time previously exploring houses.
Since everyone has different interests, needs, and desires, answering this question can be somewhat difficult.
Nevertheless, here's a handy-dandy guide for prospective homebuyers of things you should be looking for and things not to worry about too much while trekking through OPH.
Oh, sorry, OPH stands for Other People's Homes.
All of the following presumes that you already like the location of the house. Location remains the upmost priority in all home searches. That's one thing you definitely cannot change.
WHAT SHOULD I BE LOOKING FOR IN THE HOUSE?
- Is there enough space for all your stuff? That's an important one. Only you know what you've got. While moving can be a great time to pare down your belongings and finally throw away some of those trinkets cluttering your closet and weighing down your drawers, the first rule of house is that we accumulate stuff to fill it. Make sure to Swing Open the Closet Doors!
- Does the house fit your lifestyle? If you fancy yourself a gourmet chef, you'd better like the kitchen. Enjoy catching a few rays of sun? You're going to want a balcony, deck, patio, or big backyard. Entertain? Flow is important. Trouble with stairs? You might need a 1st floor master bedroom, a rambler, or an elevator.
- Will someone else like it? While this is going to be YOUR home, you always have to consider resale value. You might think you're going to be in this home forever, but statistics say you'll only be there for 5-7 years tops. Think about the future.
- Are there major noticeable problems? When we walk through homes together, we're looking to see if you like it or not. We're not conducting a home inspection -- leave that for the home inspector. However, sometimes you can readily see obvious serious problems with a home. You'll know it when you see it. During an initial look, we don't need to test every appliance and system.
- Do you like it? Do you love it? Do you see yourself living there? This one's a bit more esoteric. Sometimes you just have to ditch the logic and ask yourself these questions. Even the most analytical and discriminating home buyers use their emotions. After all, you're not a Vulcan! 3 years from now you won't remember your housing pros and cons list you painstakingly created but you'll surely be able to tell people why you love your home.
WHAT CAN I IGNORE WHILE LOOKING AT THE HOUSE?
- Paint and carpet. Unless it's a total disaster, don't worry about it. Paint and carpet are typically the first things that go when someone new moves in. They're easy fixes and relatively inexpensive. If you love the house but hate the pink bathroom, a can of paint and a Saturday afternoon can work wonders.
- Kitchen appliances. Okay, don't totally ignore them, because you might have to live with them for a while. As long as they are functional, alright. While not cheap, you can buy a full set of nice stainless steel appliances for ~$3,500. You don't like the green fridge? Nobody else does either, but hey you're a homeowner now and your friends are still renting.
- Electrical, plumbing, heating, cooling, etc. The systems. These are going to be examined thoroughly by the home inspector. That's why you're paying for a home inspection. Unless you see a major problem like missing or exposed wires, disconnected pipes, etc., wait for the home inspection to test the systems. On this trip, we're not going to be in the home long enough to see if the heat pump works. And, unless you're buying the house as-is, you are protected by Mighty Paragraph 7.
- Their furniture and stuff. It can sometimes be very hard to ignore especially in a cluttered house or condo. However, just remember that their stuff does not come with the house. They'll be emptying it all out before you move in your stuff (see above). However, seeing how much stuff they have and how well their furniture fits can serve as a guideline for how well yours will.
Thank you for reading my blog post. If you like what you’ve read, then please:
Follow, Connect, Watch, Subscribe
If you plan to purchase or sell a home in the Northern Virginia or D.C. area,
you can visit my main Northern Virginia & D.C. real estate website at www.VirginiaRealEstateNews.net.
Well written! I just wish i could get some of my buyers past the paint and carpet part . . .
Great guide for the newbies. Few buyer's can see beyond what is in front of them. I can keep telling them that it will be different with their own furniture and own paint choices but some people are not visual enough to see beyond the obvious.
Same problem when showing vacant homes....some people are unable to visualize their stuff in it.
Thanks for the breakdown.
Hi Brian~ Sometimes the worse a house looks as far as paint and carpet goes, the better the deal that they may get!
Excellent, excellent, excellent! Great breakdown and summary. I agree with Richard, though, too, in that it is difficult to get some to see past the paint and carpet.
Right on Brian . . . buyers get hung up on things they CAN change and sometimes completely overlook the things they CAN'T. I always tell buyers they should be thinking resale from the get-go, no matter how long they plan to live there.
Hi Brian -- Great tips. It is important to see how the home makes you feel. Cool graphics, what site(s) do you use?
Brian:
I really like your list. It is well-written and considers most everything I'd tell my clients. Thank you!
There's lots of good advice in this post, though I find that it's difficult for many buyers to look past paint and carpet.
Great overview for buyers, Brian, especially the new ones. I agree with Richard's and Christine's comments, though. Some folks focus too much on the things that are easily changed and miss the big picture. Especially true in a market where there is a fair amount of inventory and, thus, the feeling there will be something better.
Jeff
Brian,
It can be so helpful with clients ask for professional wisdom. They can't possibly know what an agent knows that does this for a living. They're paying for the service they should get all the insight that agent has available.
Steve
Well thought list Brian. It always amazes me how small things are deal killers and things I think are huge are not an issue. This list will help buyers make those calls.
Congratulations on being featured. Some buyers start out by asking how much did they pay for the house and why are they moving? Before deciding if they like the house they want to see how much of a bargain they can get.
Perfection is seldom found either in homes or people! It's something we have to strive for not expect. So many people do get caught up in the things that shouldn't matter because they can be changed. It's the stuff you can't change that needs to be the best.
kk
Yeah, the paint and carpet are way bigger obstacles than they should be - and some people just won't compromise on anything.
nicely written, thank you for sharing!
Sometimes it can be difficult working with buyers that don't have vision.
Brian:
Using a checklist like this is a great brainstorming technique for helping new buyers. They really have to consider their own lifestyle and budget as well.
Yeah, this is a handy dandy guide. Covers most of what I also tell buyers. No home is perfect and minor things don't stop the deal.
sometimes its not the house its the location. where does the rain water go? how often does the train go by or how low do the planes fly? what's the neighborhood like once the kids are out of school? Is that vegetable garden really over the septic system? The grass maybe greener for good reason.
This is a PERFECT list for the folks out looking for their new home! Yeah!
Very well stated and very good advice.
Thanks!
Great post, Brian. Common-sensical list that will make sense to buyers. I cover these things verbally, but having them presented like this is great. -- Tanya in Montreal
You are absolutely right, thanks for the refresher.
It's all aboout visuals. If I see a house that is move in ready and looks like a place that doesn't need my spare time I will consider it. Homes that are dirty and need carpet and paint I'll leave for someone else to buy. The homes that are showcased and look top notch sell faster.
This is a great list, Brian, and not just for home buyers, but for savvy home sellers, as well. As a home stager, I'm interested in all the comments from Realtors about how hard it is to get their clients to look past the paint and carpet. That's why we tell sellers over and over that they really need to paint and replace carpet if they want to sell quickly -- buyers have no vision for possibilities. Sellers have to give them what they're looking for. Thanks for this post!
A lot of people have trouble ignoring those things that they should ignore. That is why stagers have jobs.
This is a good list of things we can use to help our buyers have vision - for some that comes much easier than others. One thing I might mention on painting - one objection I have had is that even though the buyer realizes this is not expensive - if there is a lot of painting to be done (not necessarily due to condition, but colors that just won't work), I have had several buyers with small children that major painting projects become a major obstacle with how they are going to get this project done with little ones underfoot.
Well said, I will re-blog. I have a client who does a home inspection as we go along. And no, he is not a home inspector. Thank you.
Brian! GREAT BLOG and this reblog will save me a lot of time from doing a post of this quality. Thanks!
In general, I think that my personal opinion as a buyer's agent is not always very relevant for the buyers. If they like the house for some reason that they think they are important for them. I just let them be happy with their choice, simply because I do not want to step in the hornet's nest of insulting their personal taste and preference.
However if I see some structure or technical problems that can be of any minor or larger defect, I point the defect and make them aware of the problem.
Realtor Timo Kansas City
Brian
All good points and should be discussed with buyers before heading out.
Ty
Brian - "Will someone else like it?" This is a big one in my book and something I remind my clients all the time. So many buyer's fall in love with the house that they don't always think about what other buyer's will eventually think down the road.
I liked your post today very much and the graphics. Where did you get the graphics?
Thanks so much.
Patricia/Seacoast NH
Consider your lifestyle and what home says "Home" to you are my favorite concepts on your post.
Great real estate blog. I do appreciate this. Thanks
Carbonell brickell
You hit the nail on the head! Great post!
Great post Brian, reblogged it.
Good post. Good list. We all know these things, but it never hurts to be reminded.
Hello Brian,
What an excellent post! Great advice! Thank you!
Rita
Good way to help people focus on the particulars. People read so much online and get so much advice it's hard for them to focus in sometimes and not be nervous.
That's a good list Brian. Not many people can see past bad carpet or strong colors. They say they can, but they really can't.
Just reviewing some of the great featured posts of the past today looking for inspiration and ideas for writing some new content for my lethbridge real estate blog. This was a great featured post and good advice for a home buyer.
Ignore the cosmetics, you will change them in every house you buy. Pay attention to the potential the home has, the mechanical and structural condition, and think about how easy it would be to sell should your life take you in a different direction. That is what a smart buyer does.