When you’re seeing a property for the first time, it’s easy to overlook a lot of things. You might miss plenty of important details, especially if you focus only on critical rooms such as the master bedroom, kitchen, and bathrooms.
If you’re about to tour an open house, here are some important things to watch out for:
The exterior
Inspect the home’s exterior for chipping paint, damaged roof shingles, gutter condition, and other key items. Poor exterior maintenance may be a good indication of what you may see inside the home.
Natural light and air flow
When you step inside, try to see if the interiors get plenty of light and air. Not only is sunlight and fresh air is great for your health, it makes the home more enjoyable to live in, and it can potentially reduce utility bills during the summer.
Storage space
Does the house have ample storage space? Figure out if it’s enough to store all your belongings and keep everything organized. There are many homebuyers who notice stylish interiors first, but end up disappointed once they realize the lack of storage space.
Privacy
How close is the home to other surrounding properties? Can neighbors see right through your windows? While privacy is something you should definitely consider, the good news is, it can be easily resolved as well.
The home’s layout
Consider the home’s layout and see if it fits your lifestyle. For example, if you have young children, then you may want your bedroom to be close to their rooms (or at least on the same floor). Also make sure that the home features spaces which you can dedicate to essential parts of your life, like a quiet room where you can work in, in case you’re someone who works from home.
