15 Tips for Home Tours
The evaluation starts when you first set foot in a home. No house is perfect, but you can negotiate a better deal if you know about its problems early. And, before you close, you'll have an inspector pick apart every room.
To give you a checklist, Redfin talked to a dozen of our agents about what we look for when evaluating a property to buy for ourselves. Here's what we came up with:
- Bring a camera, notebook & tape measure
You think you'll remember everything but you won't. Compare the home's dimensions to your couch, dining table and guest bed. To see all the homes for sale and upload notes and photos on the go, download our mobile apps: - See how much sunlight the place gets
Visit during the day. Imagine the trees with leaves – they may block your view, or provide some welcome shade. - Check the bathrooms for rot & mold
On the ceiling above the shower, along the baseboards by the tub. - Look for wavy or discolored wood siding on the exterior
The south-facing wall gets the most sun; the north-facing is the most damp. - Make sure water spouts drain away from the house
Water gushing from the roof may cause water damage in the foundation. - Take stock of the storage space
Moving day is a bad time to realize there's no room for your hockey gear. - Turn off any music playing in the home
So you can gauge road noise and airplane traffic. - Check for hardwood floors
Lift a corner of the carpet by the heating vent. - Peek into the attic
There should be plenty of insulation. - Bring a marble or two
If you want to make sure the floors are level. - When sharing a wall, make sure it's thick
In condos with several units for sale, ask a friend to flush the toilet or walk the floor of the unit upstairs. - Ignore the appliances & carpets
They're easy to replace. Focus on location first, the structure second. - Check the closets
If the seller still lives there, he might be in less of a hurry to sell. - Get the disclosure packet
Look for lead-based paint, asbestos, wiring that needs to be replaced. - Compare the property's tax records to the listing details
If there are discrepancies in the square footage, bedrooms or bathrooms, then look for evidence of a remodel since the last sale. Other sellers just stretch the truth.
Tip!
Luckily, it's just as easy to keep your notes organized with our handy Home Tour Checklist!
Just print out one copy for each home on your tour, and make quick notes as you go.
Last modified Wednesday, December 21, 2011