What
To Look For
Your
Realtor® may schedule first showings twenty minutes apart so that you can see
five to six homes in a morning or afternoon, including travel time. Fifteen
minutes should be enough time for you to decide whether the home is a
possibility or impossibility. You’ll say either maybe or forget it.
Second showings are longer, starting at about a half hour in length. During a
second showing you’ll want to reconfirm that the things you liked about the
house the first time are still appealing. Or you may decide that the house
really isn’t right and cross it off your list. If you do like the house, the
second showing is where you should begin to examine the home’s structure and
mechanicals. Although you’ll hire a home inspector to do a professional home
inspection on the house, each inspection will set you back between $200 and
$450.
If you know what to look for, you can spot problems early on in the game and
save yourself some money. Here are some physical things to check out while
you’re on your second showing:
1. Overall impression of the exterior
Does the house seem in good shape? Is it sound? Step back: Are the lines of the
house straight? Does the roof sag? If the house is brick, is the mortar between
the bricks cracked or chinked? Is the paint peeling? Is the aluminum siding
dented, dirty, or in really good shape? Is the sidewalk cracked around the
house? Does it appear to pitch in toward the house (which might cause leaking
into the basement) or slope away from the house?
2. Roof. Are the shingles curling or lifting?
Ask the agent (or owners, if they’re there) to find out how old the roof is
and if there have been any problems. A new roof, if properly installed, should
last between fifteen and twenty-five years. If the house has a tile or slate
roof, it could last for fifty to one hundred years or more, but might be
expensive to fix or replace.
3. Windows and doorframes.
Are they in good shape? Are there storm windows? Has the caulk dried out and
pulled away? Are they cracked? Can you feel air blowing in? Are the frames
square? Are there cracks in the plaster above the doorframes?
4. Overall impression of the interior.
Does the home appear to be sound? Do the wood floors creak when you walk on
them? Are they pitched in any one direction? Are the stairs shaky? Is the
kitchen or bath linoleum tile peeling or bubbled? Are there discolored patches
on the walls or ceiling? Are there other signs of leaks? Is the plaster cracked?
Is the paint or wallpaper peeling? Are the walls and ceiling straight? Do doors,
cupboards, and drawers open easily? Is the house clean?
5. Attic or crawl space.
Is there insulation? Has it been laid out properly? Is there a fan? Are there
air leaks? Is there poor ventilation?
6. Plumbing and electricity.
Turn on all the faucets, showers and bathtubs. Is everything working? Do they
drain well? How’s the water pressure? Does the water have a funny smell? Does
the home use city water or have its own well? Do the lights seem to work? Check
the fuse box or circuit breaker. Are there enough electrical outlets? Or is
everything connected with extension cords? Are there enough telephone jacks?
7. Basement.
Are there cracks in the walls or foundation? Does it smell musty, stale, or
damp? Does the basement leak? Is the house in a flood plain? (The listing agent
may or may not know the answer to this question. You may have to find out
independently by visiting the local village or city hall.)
8. Mechanicals.
How old are the hot water heater and furnace systems? Is there an
air-conditioning system or are there window units? How old are the window units
and do they come with the house? Does the listing agent have any information on
the heating, electricity or water bills?
9. Pests.
Is there evidence of termites? Cockroaches? Mice? Check any wooden beams for
tiny holes or piles of sawdust.
Seat
Yourself
Second
showings take the selectivity issue we’ve been talking about a step further.
In a second showing, you should sit down on the furniture and try to imagine
living in the home. You should look around and think about where you would put
your furniture.
Ask
Yourself These Questions
·
How would
you feel about coming home after a hard day’s work?
·
Where
would you relax?
·
Can you
see yourself cooking in the kitchen?
·
Will your
armoire fit into the living room?
·
Is the
bedroom quiet enough for sleeping?
·
Open up
the windows and listen to the sounds of the neighborhood. Are there noisy wind
chimes? Children? Dogs? Dump trucks? Airplanes? Is the house on a flight path?
Are you listening to a nearby or distant highway? Local traffic? Frequently used
train tracks? Are there other noises?
·
Do you
feel relaxed in the house?
At
this point, you might be able to make up your mind about the house. For some
first-time buyers, the second showing clinches it and they make an offer.
However, other first-time buyers need a third, or even fourth, showing.
Third
Showings
If
you ask for a third showings, the agents and seller are naturally going to think
you’re really interested. They’re going to expect you to make a serious
offer. If the third showing comes and goes and there’s no offer, the seller is
going to begin to get impatient. If you then call and ask for a fourth showing,
the brokers will have to persuade the seller to go along with it. It’s a lot
of work preparing a house for a showing.
The seller will have to clean up the house, pack everyone off, and basically
clear the decks. It’s a major maneuver. By the time you ask for a fourth
showing, the seller has given up on you and is more interested in the next
buyers who are scheduled to come through the door. If you do put in an offer
after a fourth showing, the seller may not treat it very seriously, especially
if it’s a low-ball offer, just because you’ve wasted his or her time.
