Viewing Homes: Touring with Redfin
Touring homes with Redfin works a little differently than touring homes with other real estate agents. We think these differences improve the touring experience for our customers. Let's look at how touring with Redfin works.
With many real estate brokerages, you'll give your agent a ballpark idea of the type of home that interests you, and your agent will try to divine the best homes to suit your needs. In some cases, you won't even know which homes you're touring until you meet the agent on tour day.
We think you're the best judge of what home is best for you. That's why we make it easy for you to pick your own homes to tour.
From the search results map:
- Click the green icon of a home on the map.
- In the preview pane on the right side of the page, click the Go See It button.
- That's it! The home is added to your tour page. You can have up to six homes on your tour page at once.
From the listing details page:
- In the top right corner of the page, click the Go See This Home button.
- That's it! The home is added to your tour page. You can have up to six homes on your tour page at once.
Once you've added a home to your tour page, you can repeat the process to add up to six homes, or you can move on to the next step by scheduling your tour. Please note: If you don't currently have a Redfin account, you'll be asked to create one before we add a home to your tour page. Joining is quick, free, and carries no obligation to work with Redfin.
To schedule a tour of the homes in your tour cart, simply click the Schedule My Tour button at the top of the tour cart menu.
After you click Schedule My Tour, you'll have a chance to update your contact information, and to select preferred dates and times for your tours. A six-home tour typically runs two hours. If you don't have any date and time preferences, a Redfin coordinator will be able to suggest times when confirming your appointment.
We'll also ask you to verify your identification using a simple and anonymous online tool. We do this to ensure the safety of our agents, and to make sure that you're not an advanced cybernetic organism sent from the future to destroy mankind.
After you submit your tour request, a Redfin coordinator will call to confirm your information, and also to finalize your tour schedule.
Tip!
If you're ready to start touring homes, it's time to get pre-approved for a loan. Getting pre-approved will show sellers that you're serious about a home purchase. And if you tour a home that you really love, being pre-approved ahead of time will make your offer process much faster and easier.
Redfin will ask that you get pre-approved before your third tour with us, and possibly earlier in certain areas and during times of high demand.
Once your tour is scheduled and confirmed, a Redfin field agent will email you with directions to the first home on the tour. You'll meet the field agent at that location to tour the first home. When you're done touring the first home, you'll get back in your own car and follow the field agent to the next stop on the tour.
Field agents are another unique aspect of the Redfin touring experience. Redfin field agents are experts on touring homes, and are paid only to give you their honest opinion about the homes you tour. You'll never get an ounce of sales pressure from a field agent, since they never make a commission on a home sale. What you will get is an honest, expert opinion on every home -- even if that opinion is run screaming from this home as fast as possible.
Tip!
Whether you tour with Redfin or another real estate agency, you should use the time wisely. We have two resources that can help you get the most out of your tour.
The first is our Home Tour Checklist. It's a quick overview of how to prepare for a tour and how to come away from each home with the right information.
The second resource is our Interactive Home Inspection. This is an in-depth guide to the issues that every home inspector will look for during an inspection. It features over 200 photos from professional inspectors across the country, as well as descriptions of common inspection issues.
As you tour homes, feel free to ask your field agent questions. Any questions. Lots of questions. Even questions that might seem dumb. Field agents not only conduct tours, but also accompany buyers and inspectors during home inspections; they're extremely good at spotting problems with a home and calling them to your attention.
If there's a question your field agent can't answer, she'll find the answer and report back to you as soon as possible. Many customers mention field agents as one of the most refreshing parts of buying a home with Redfin.
Once you've seen the last home on your tour, your field agent will answer any last questions you have. If you're interested in making an offer on a home, your field agent will help you get the process started.
If you weren't taken by any of the homes on your tour, don't worry -- most people see many homes before they find the right one. You can always schedule another Redfin tour online. We'll be happy to show you homes until you find the one you want. We'd rather see you take your time and find the perfect place than rush into a home you don't love.