When is the best time to see/show a home?

Looking at a home to purchase is a little like that Seinfeld episode “Two Face”, where Jerry’s girlfriend looks different depending on the light.

And when we show or sell a home, you want it to show in the best possible light. But from the Buy side point of view its important to see it when it shows its “morning-breath” side.

12 Strategies on Buy Side to make sure you see both faces.

1. If a home is near a roadway or train, come by when traffic is highest in morning and rush hour, or schedule when noise comes through. Some homes even when far away get road noise if the backyard has an open space because noise travels.

2. See it in multiple exposures, especially for homes with Western or Eastern exposures. A home with an western exposure (sun sets in back) is going to look totally different at 4pm. Is there enough cover or does the sun come in and it gets too hot at 4pm? And vice versa. If you see the eastern exposure home at 4pm, is there enough light and how does the sun hit the pool.
   3. Turn the lights off. You usually walk in the house that way and live with lots of lights off. I always turn all the lights on so it shows full light, open, & spacious. Turn the lights off and you might not like what you see. Tip – a great house is one where during the day, no lights need to be on.

    

   4. Walk in through the garage. You will never walk in through the front door except when you look at it to purchase it.  Is it too long a walk to the kitchen with groceries?  How does it look when you walk in?

    

   5. Look at window treatments both open and closed. Is there something unsightly when open? Is it too dark when closed?

    

   6. See it on a rainy day. Lots of reasons for this. Is there a swale buildup at the start of the driveway?  Does the yard flood?  Is it too dark inside when its raining? Its also the best time to do an inspection as it will catch leaks.

7. On the Beeline Hwy by Caloosa in Palm Beach Gardens there is a raceway. Most pass PGA Blvd to get there and all these Motorcycles zoom on by on Saturday morning. You would never know if you did not visit it at a different hour.

7. 7. 8. See it at night. You will be living and seeing your home at night. See how it looks and make sure headlights from other cars are not an issue.

7. 7. 9. Turn on Faucets/shower to check water pressure. Its good to check this for yourself in the shower, kitchen, and bath. 
      10. Open the cabinets and secondary closets. Is there enough closet space and cabinet space for you in the kitchen?

7. 7. 11. Notice little things. An example is a short driveway. Pay attention to little things and think of how your family might expand/contract through the years and if the house is a good fit.

7. 7. 12. Meet the neighbors. More so to learn about the neighborhood. If you do not like the neighbors or like them a lot, don’t put too much weight on it. Neighbors come and go. When we moved into our current home, we had 2 difficult ones and now 2 great ones.  It changes over the years.
          

Jeff Lichtenstein is owner and broker of Echo Fine Properties, a luxury real estate brokerage selling real estate in Jupiter  and homes in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. He has 20 years of real estate experience, has closed over a 1,000 transactions, and manages over 50 agents in a non-traditional model of real estate that mimics a traditional business model.  Some publications he has been quoted in.

Feel free to ask him a question directly at jeff@EchoFineProperties.com.