Whether you’re looking to buy a home in the Lake George region or elsewhere, attending open houses is a critical part of the house-buying process. Yes, even in 2022, and as we look ahead into 2023. Get a rundown below on how open houses work, and why you should go beyond browsing houses for sale online to attend them.
What Is an Open House?
Prospective buyers can essentially walk through the home, either on their own or on a guided tour, during the open house hours. Other individuals interested in the home may be touring at the same time.
Open houses are a convenient way to check out a home you’re interested in, but without the hassle of having to make an appointment. In many cases, you have already checked out photos of the home online (more on online photos soon!), and you may be on the fence about putting an offer in – seeing the house in person can answer some of your questions.
Who Goes to Open Houses? When? Does the Realtor Come?
Some people looking for a house to buy may attend several open houses in one day or week. Some are serious buyers looking for the right home for them; others are new to the house-buying process, and are essentially window shopping. You can visit an open house at any time during your house-buying journey.
And, you can certainly attend an open house without your realtor. But it is a great chance to meet your realtor, ask them questions, and see them in action. I’m always happy to meet with clients at open houses whenever possible!
I Feel Nosy, Are You Sure I’m Not Intruding?
The hesitation to attend open houses when you can safely check out the home via a virtual tour is an understandable one. It’s easy to feel intrusive when you’re wandering through a home that somebody still currently lives in. And without an appointment!
While you should avoid ransacking clothing drawers or snooping through desk paperwork, it’s perfectly normal for a prospective buyer to walk through a home during an open house – no matter where you are in the house-buying process.
What Are the Benefits of Attending an Open House for Me, the Buyer?
Now you know when to attend open houses (anytime), that your realtor can come or not, and you’re reassured you’re not intruding.
The meat of why you should attend open houses is because it gives you the opportunity to:
- Check out the competition by seeing how many other people are attending the open house.
- Take note of current design trends (particularly if the seller paid for home staging).
- Feel out the neighborhood and community.
- Fine tune your needs and preferences (maybe you didn’t know you hate split level homes).
- Get an accurate sense of spaces and square footages you can’t get from viewing online photos (maybe you do in fact need that third bedroom).
- Discover more about what you can afford in relation to what you want.
- Learn more about what you want in a home in general.
If you ever went to weddings as an engaged couple, you likely took note of what you liked about the event that you’d then wish to replicate in your own special day. Or you saw something you didn’t know you wanted or needed – like hairspray and disposable combs in the restrooms – and you put that in your back pocket for later.
It’s the same with house hunting. You didn’t think you needed or wanted a fireplace or open foyer, but now that you’ve seen them in person, these might be elements that move up in importance on your house wish list.
See Upcoming Lake George Area Open Houses & Mark Your Calendar
There’s one more reason you should visit an open house. You’ll have more information to decide if you want to make that offer or not, and will therefore be more confident in your decision, and less likely to suffer buyer’s remorse later.
Find open houses in the Lake George, NY area >>
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