Be a Savvy Home Viewer

“Buyer’s regret” is the last thing you want to have after buying a home. That terrible feeling you get when you discover, days or weeks later, that you may have made a mistake.

Let’s say you bought a house based on initial impressions. You thought it was great when you first saw it. Then, a few weeks later, you learned that the bedrooms are smaller than you had anticipated and that the street is noisy and congested. That would be a terrible feeling to have!

Hence, it is important to have the skills of a wise home viewer. When you go to see a house for sale, you should look past your first impressions and take a close look at the property as well as the surrounding area. That way, there won’t be any unpleasant surprises later on.

Here are some pointers:

• Take your time looking around each room, including closets and storage rooms.
• Make sure you have measurements of all the rooms.
• Imagine yourself living in the home. Where will you have dinner? How will your furniture look? What would it be like to commute to work and school every day? Where will your kids play?
• Get a professional home inspection. Then, double-check that you’ve read and comprehended the report.
• Understand and get estimates for any maintenance and repair issues, such as required bathroom upgrades or roof shingles that need replacement.
• Walk in the community and get a clear sense of what it’s going to be like to live there.
• Carefully consider any negative issues before telling yourself, “I can live with this.”

A good REALTOR® can aide you make the right offer for the property you’re interested in buying. For free valuation, contact us at 401-396-2888. We’re always glad to help!