When should you view a house before buying?

9 December 2020

When should you view a house before buying?

After a buyer’s first visit to a house, they may return to see it two or three more times. Confirming everything you see before signing a contract is a critical part of buying a property. But are two to three times enough? Not really, especially if the seller or the two parties' real estate agents scheduled the visits.

Is there a set number of times to visit a house before buying?

Viewing a house between four and six times should be enough. This includes visiting alongside a real estate agent or realtor two or three times. And then, an additional two to three independent visits to scout out the neighbourhood and the house from the outside. Here are some strategic times to view homes for sale:

In good and bad weather

A home for sale can look amazing on a beautiful spring day but on a dull, rainy afternoon you may notice issues that make it prone to leaks or damage from nearby trees. You don't want to be in a position where you may only notice flaws with the storm water drainage after making the purchase, for instance. You want a house that looks beautiful and sturdy whatever the time of year or weather conditions, so visit it on both good and bad days.

Weekdays and weekends

Visiting your prospective neighbourhood during weekdays and weekends helps you to get an idea about whether the neighbourhood is peaceful, quiet, deserted or noisy. This information is also important if you work from home during weekdays. Also, if you visit during the weekend and in good weather, you may get a better sense of the type of neighbours you will have as they are more likely to be outside in their gardens.

Early, midday and late afternoon

Different times of the day can affect the same house very differently. Consider the following: is the same back patio delightful in the morning sun, excessively hot under the noonday sun and maybe uninviting in the afternoon shade of the same day? See how sunshine affects the kitchen area at different times. Besides, scout the neighbourhood to be aware of things like rush hour traffic and whether the streets appear safe or potentially dangerous.

To evaluate a house for sale, you can overlook certain flaws, but not the lighting, neighbourhood character, street noise, and traffic patterns. Are you ready to buy a house? Contact our House Estate Agents team today to help you get it easily and affordable.