I recently had some Clients come in from out of town on a buying trip and before they came they sent me an email asking if I had any tips on how to make this trip as successful as possible. When looking at homes it's really important to clarify your needs, wants and deal breakers before you start looking. We of course spent time discussing what those were so that I could narrow down the list of properties for them to see. This is important whether your are buying in the same city or a different one. You don't want to look at every single house on the market so clarifying what is most important to you will help weed out the ones that just won't work. The more specific the better too! I'd rather have very distinct search criteria and fewer great matches. If none of those work than you can open up the search a bit more but it's always best to start with the best of the best.
Time is typically very limited when it comes to buying trips so you have to plan wisely. I don't recommend looking at more than 8-10 houses in one day (7 is really the best number). I once had Clients that looked at almost 20 homes in one day and it was too much. By the end they were exhausted and the houses were blending together. In some cases people will create a house in their mind that they love with the kitchen from one house and the living room from another and that's never good! It's also important to consider the time of day. I typically like to show homes either in the morning or after lunch as this allows for a natural break at the end to refuel and discuss what you have seen. If looking at homes over lunch works best with the schedule then plan to take a break at some point, even it's just to grab a quick snack to hold you over.
You may also have to consider the needs of kiddos. If you have babies, more frequent breaks for feeding and changing may be needed and you may also have to break for nap time. With older kids I suggest having something to occupy them with. Whether it's an iPad or some other electronic or a special toy.
When you are looking at homes, if you go into one and you know right away that it's not "the one" it's okay to leave. Sometimes taking a quick tour can help you clarify what you don't want but spending too much time in the wrong house just isn't worth it. the
Once you have narrowed your list to your top two or three choices, plan to take a second look. You may notice things you didn't see the first time around. If you are having trouble deciding which home to choose from try making a list of pros and cons. It won't necessarily be the house with the most pros or the least cons that wins but writing the list may help you to see which elements are the most important. For example a house might have the most number of pros compared to another house but the one con maybe enough for you to choose the other house.
At the end of the day "you gotta have faith" (thanks George Michael). I truly believe that if it's meant to be it will be when it comes to real estate. I don't think I have ever sold a Client a home they weren't excited to move into. You will find a house and make it your home.
I love doing a Q&A blog post so if you have any questions about real estate send me a note and I will write you an answer!
