Plan Your Day

The more homes you hit during your trek across Denver, the better. To find the most homes open in your area, go to www.REColorado.com, enter your search criteria into the space provided (you can’t miss it), and click the Search Homes button.  Next, be sure to set aside an afternoon, focus on a number of houses in a given area at one time, then move to the next area. Make sure that you’re giving yourself ample time at each house, but remember that the more you linger, the tighter your schedule may become. Also don’t be afraid to make alterations to the schedule, as needed.

Dress Comfortably

Running from one open house to another, not to mention trotting up and down multiple stairs, means that you’ll be on your feet a lot throughout the day. You don’t want to dress in fancy shoes or an uncomfortable outfit, unless that’s just your style and you refuse to deviate. An agent isn’t going to care how you’re dressed, and the home certainly won’t care either. Keep it simple and casual.

Be Respectful

The home you’re viewing may still be someone’s residence, so it’s important to be respectful of their property. You obviously want to check out the home and amenities of the area to get a real feel of the property.  However, you are a guest visiting the property, so please be considerate of the homeowners’ personal space and belongings. Also, if you want to take pictures or record video, be sure to ask first.

Watch Out for Faux Furniture

Some homes are “staged,” which means a professional has come in and made them look fancy and pristine. It’s also possible that they may have brought in staged props to make the home look and feel more appealing. They look like the real thing, but just like visiting a business showroom, be mindful that the items you see may not be the place to take a seat!

Avoid Criticism While in the Home

Not every home you see is going to be absolutely perfect. Some may have bedrooms or kitchens that are too small for your needs. Or you may not like the design of certain areas. There is no advantage to being verbally negative, especially when other potential buyers who could fall in love with the place may be within earshot. Keep any criticisms to yourself, then rant all you want on your way to the next open house.

Keep an Open Mind About Your Price Range

There are benefits to viewing homes that are a little below and above your price range. A home that is below your price range may end up being perfect for your needs and the money you save may afford you the luxury of a few renovations. A home above your budget can clue you into what you can realistically expect to purchase within that range. Also keep in mind that lower prices can be driven up and higher prices can be bid down.

Ask the Agent Plenty of Questions

Yes, you must be more Socratic then naïve when previewing homes. There’s no reason to fear the competency of Denver real estate agents showing the house. He or she will answer any questions you have, no matter how mundane or unusual you think they are. If this person is the actual listing agent, you’ll most likely be able to get your questions answered right away. There’s a chance that this showing agent may be standing in for the actual listing agent, but they can take down your information and find out what you need to know. Heck, you may even meet your primary agent early in the sales process by speaking with them. For a list of qualifying questions you can use when searching open houses, contact one of The Denver 100 brokers.

Open houses can be fun and exciting, and they’re a great way for you to check out several pieces of Denver real estate in a short period of time. If you’d like more tips on how to get the most out of open houses, The Denver 100 can answer your questions and point you in the right direction.