Things That You Don't Need To Do At An Open House

13 June 2017
Categories: , Blog

Attending open houses is an important step in the process of buying a house. While you can always schedule a viewing of a house that catches your eye with your real estate agent, attending an open house is a useful event for allowing you to assess the listing. If you haven't attending any open houses in the past as a first-time buyer, you might be a little leery about how you should proceed. Your agent won't be with you, but there's no harm in asking him or her some questions about how to make the most of the event. Occasionally, you'll wonder if you need to do certain things at the open house, but here are three things that you don't have to do.

Be Accompanied By The Listing Agent

If you arrive at the open house when it's not overly busy, the listing agent may cheerfully walk from room to room with you as you tour the residence. While this scenario can be helpful, you might also wish to look at the house on your own. There's no rule that says open house attendees have to be accompanied by the listing agent, so don't be afraid at beginning to wander on your own. If you arrive and the agent indicates that he or she is helping another prospective buyer, you can simply start to check out the house without waiting for the agent to join you.

Sign The Guest List

At many open houses, there will be a list for attendees to sign. Doing so isn't mandatory, however, so you shouldn't feel as though it's imperative for you to do. While there's no real problem with signing, some agents will take your name and phone number and contact you in the days that follow the open house to get your opinion on what you saw. And, some eager agents might ask if you've already hired an agent and then seek to represent you. If you don't want this follow-up call, simply abstain from signing the guest list.

Provide Your Feedback

Many agents will ask you what you think of the home after you've toured through it. If you aren't keen on what you see or you feel stressed about having to provide a thoughtful answer, there's no pressure for you to give your feedback. While the agent is only gathering a consensus to pass along to the seller, you can simply say something basic such as you enjoyed seeing the house and you have to run for another engagement.

Being a first time home buyer can be intimidating, which is why you should always work with a real estate agent.

About Me

When I decided to sell my first house, I had no idea how complex the process was going to be. From meeting with several real estate agents to completing the listing and scheduling open houses, it was more demanding than I thought. When it came time to entertain offers, I was at a loss for how to evaluate each one objectively and I made some mistakes that I wish I'd known better about. Now that we've left the closing table, I wanted to create this site to help others who may be new to listing a home. Read through what I've learned so that you can be better prepared for the process yourself.