Looking at Houses

There are a lot of different styles out there in terms of how real estate agents do their jobs. That's not a bad thing. We're all different and we all gravitate to different styles, different personalities. Occasionally I get the chance to watch another real estate agent work, to be a fly on the wall. And that's always interesting.

I've had the chance recently to watch another agent show a home to potential buyers. And I actually found it very funny. The potential clients may have loved it, I don't know their perspective. The agent was clearly acting as tour guide/cheer leader for the house. "And this is the kitchen" lines always make me laugh. So what gave it away, the big stainless steel refrigerator?! "Look at that great fireplace!" You may have heard the spiel yourselves.

If your my buyer, I'm probably not going to point out which room is the kitchen. I'm guessing you don't need me for that! And most of the good stuff you'll see for yourself, or it's pointed out in the listing and the brochures, etc. What you need me for is to look for the stuff that's not so obvious, the stuff that doesn't look good. I'm looking for either actual flaws or things that will make this house hard for you to resell.

And when I point these things out, I'm not telling you not to buy this house. I just want to make sure you have all the facts you need to make a wise decision.

When you're looking at a house as a potential buyer, if the house has been properly prepared for sale, the good stuff is going to hit you in the face. Smart sellers and their smart agents emphasize the good stuff and find ways to minimize the bad. But as the buyer you need to know it all, good and bad. And I see that as my job!

You can notice the great stone fireplace. And the brochure in the house will probably tell you how nice and cozy it will be on a cold winter night.  But if I know you and your family are neat freaks I'm going to point out that it's wood burning and you've said you prefer gas to minimize the mess. Of course, I'll probably also talk about whether it might be feasible to convert it to gas if everything else about the house is perfect for you.

I'm not a tour guide and I'm not a cheerleader for any particular house. If I'm doing my job right, I'm a cheerleader for you and your family and what you want. But if you can't figure out which room is the kitchen I'll be happy to help!