House Hunting? Here’s a Checklist of What Not to Do

House hunting will be a great experience, a terrible one, or both. You are going to look at houses that you hate. And, you are going to find houses that you love. House hunting can already be an emotional roller coaster, but it doesn’t have to be so extreme. Take a look at this checklist of what not to do while house hunting, and you can have smooth experience and find the house of your dreams.

1. Don’t Go by Yourself

When you drive by a house for sale that you like, you might be tempted to call the number and go by yourself to check it out. Don’t. Not only is it unsafe, but you could be wasting your time by looking at a house that’s out of your budget and doesn’t meet any of your requirements. On top of that, the seller will think you aren’t being represented by an agent, and they will try to take advantage of you. The best thing to do is let your local real estate agent do their job. If you drive by a house you want to look at, let your agent know. They will do the work, and find out if the house meets your needs and your budget before you waste time looking at. Odds are, they didn’t show it to you because it didn’t meet your needs.

2. Don’t Give Yourself Too Little Time

If you are going to go look at houses, make sure you give yourself enough time. You probably aren’t going to want to plan something for a couple of hours afterward. If you find a house you love, you are going to spend more time looking at it. And, if you love it enough to put in an offer then and there, that’s going to take even more time. You never want to rush the decision to buy a home, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to think and look.

3. Don’t Take Separate Cars

When your agent calls you with a property to see that just came up, meet them somewhere. Ride with them, even if you have to move a child seat or something into their car. This makes it easier to travel from house to house, you won’t get lost, and more importantly, you can talk to your agent about each house that you’ve seen. If you can’t talk to your realtor about what you loved or hated at a home, they can’t help you find the perfect house.

4. Don’t Wear Shoes You Have to Tie

When house hunting, it’s easier to wear shoes that you can slip on and off easily. If a house just had new carpet or flooring installed, the seller will likely have posted a sign asking people to take their shoes off. They went to keep the house clean and show ready, so be ready to take off your shoes to see the house. If you don’t want to walk barefoot through a house, wear socks.

5. Don’t Stop Yourself From Looking at Everything

If you really like a house, you are going to want to look through all of the drawers, cupboards, and closets. Obviously, if you don’t like a house, you aren’t going to spend as much time looking at everything. That’s fine, but if you love the house, explore. That door you didn’t open might be a closet or another room you didn’t know about. That closet you didn’t open? Turns out it is very shallow, and you can’t even use it. Get nosy, and look around. You want to know as much about your potential home as you can, so that way you aren’t surprised by a lack of storage or broken drawers.

6. Don’t Offend Your Real Estate Agent

This one is easy. Don’t think that will you offend you real estate agent by telling them that you hated the house they just showed you. It’s not their house. Why would they be offended? Your real estate agent is working for you. They are finding houses to show you, and if they are showing you something that you don’t like, tell them. That way, the next house they show won’t be the same as one you hate. If you state quiet because you think you might offend your agent, you are just wasting time. Your agent is there to help you find a house that you want, so be sure to be vocal and let them know if you liked the house you just saw, or if you absolutely hated it.

Source-

http://www.frontdoor.com/real-estate/anti-checklist-what-not-to-do-while-house-hunting