(Newswire.net — August 6, 2019) –House hunting can be a daunting and emotional experience, especially for first time buyers. It’s a major event that makes you anxious and excited as you shop for your dream home. Because of this over-excitement, some buyers become too lax about their behavior which may offend the seller and cost them their hunt for their dream home. In this article, we have put together a few tips on a house viewing etiquette to help you remain at your best behavior during an open house viewing.
House Viewing Etiquette
1. Get pre-approved.
Before going for home shopping, every home buyer should get a pre-approval letter from their lender. You don’t want to waste the precious time of the seller by going for a house viewing before being sure if you’ll be given a mortgage.
A mortgage loan pre-approval letter is proof of your ability to finance the house, and no seller will entertain a buyer who doesn’t have the letter in hand.
2. Be on time.
If an open house is scheduled at 2-3 p.m., trying as much as you can to be there by 2.30 p.m. Keeping time when going for house viewing is a sign of respect for the homeowner’s time and effort as well as for the real estate agent who has arranged it. If you can’t arrive at the agreed-upon time, be responsible enough to call the seller or the agent to inform them that you may be late. While there are some uncontrollable circumstances that may cause your delay such as traffic jams, it is unacceptable to make changes at the last minute, especially if it’s a private house viewing and the seller has made serious preparations for it.
3. Don’t mess with the house.
Remember the seller has spent a lot of time and put a lot of effort into preparing the house for sale, so you should try as much as possible to maintain the cleanliness. Most houses on sale are usually de-cluttered and deep-cleaned to make them pleasing to the buyers, it would be wise for you to to extend the same amount of courtesy and graciousness by leaving the house as it was prior to your arrival.
Avoid bringing in drinks and food to the house as probably these will be provided anyway. Ensure your shoes do not leave any kind of footprints on the house floor. If they are muddy, ask the realtor or seller where you can wipe your shoes before you enter the house- or you can just leave your muddy shoes at the door.
4. Limit your entourage.
Of course, if you have a family, it’s understandable for them to want to see all the parts of the house during the house viewing. But if it’s possible, it would be better to bring in your family after you have narrowed down your options to about three. Bringing your children to a house that was expertly prepared and professionally staged for adult viewing can seem rude and inconsiderate. They can also cause a lot of mess and noise and disrupt other viewers.
House viewing etiquette is important if you want to be successful in your house hunting. Use the above tips to help you remain professional during your hunt.