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Once the Realtor has a clear understanding of what you want and what you can
afford, you’re ready to view prospective homes. No matter what kind of
condition the market is in. house hunting isn’t a process that should
be rushed. How long will it take, and how many houses are you going to see?
The answer is different for every buyer.
Much of your search can be done through the MLS and preliminary discussions
with the Realtor. As you visit and react to each home you see, the Realtor will
have an increasingly better idea of what you want and don’t want, and
will refine the search process until you find the home that is just right for
you.
After you’ve toured a few homes you might find it difficult to distinguish
one from another. This is particularly true if you’ve looked at a number
of homes with similar floor plans in the same neighbourhood. A good way to remember
features of each home is to note them in writing. You won’t want to do
this for every home you see – some will clearly not be right for you.
But for homes with great potential, nothing beats a written record.
If a Realtor shows you a home that seems to fit your criteria particularly
well, seriously consider acting on it soon. In a strong market, you may lose
the opportunity to make an offer on the house if you don’t act quickly.
Even in a “soft” market, attractively priced, feature-packed homes
don’t stay unsold for very long. Remain available for the Realtor and
be prepared to view any new listings as soon as you can.
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