An open house is the cheapest inspection you will ever get. The listing shows you the house at its best; twenty minutes on site shows you the rest. Here is what our agents check first.
Outside
- Where does the water go? Look at the grading, the gutters and the downspouts.
- Roof edges and flashing. Binoculars are not weird.
- Cracks in exterior walls wider than a coin.
- Who parks on the street and how many cars per house.
Inside
- Open every window. Stiff windows are old windows.
- Run the taps and flush the toilets. Listen to the pipes.
- Check under the sinks and around the water heater for stains.
- Look up. Ceiling stains are the most honest thing in a house.
- Stand in each room and ask where your furniture goes.
Ask the agent
How long has it been on the market, why is the seller moving, and has there been any other interest. You will not always get a full answer, but you will always learn something from how the question is answered.
Adding one from experience: open the windows. Two of the three homes we viewed last month had been aired out for exactly as long as the open house lasted.
How many times should you visit before offering? We have been back to the same house three times and I still feel unsure.
Three visits at different times of day is plenty. If you still feel unsure after that, it is usually the house talking, not the process.