Most real estate viewings last less than an hour. Are you mentally present and prepared for what you want to accomplish by going inside? If not, you may miss the value point and disregard a poor showing or misconstrue a professionally staged one. First-time buyers and buyers who haven’t purchased in a long time are at a certain disadvantage because they have little experience envisioning how someone else’s home, a vacant property, or a set of builder’s drawings can be transformed into their dream home.
Processing what a property has and has not to offer has always been a challenge for buyers but has become even greater since smartphones arrived. Our smartphone obsession with checking messages, taking pictures/videos, and sharing to keep us routinely distracted is a problem for property viewers.
So many buyers look at rooms through a lens by taking pictures or videos to review later that they are actually missing out on dimension and detail first hand.
Invest your time by walking each room, look out windows to judge sunlight and noise, look for outlets and light fixtures, picture your furniture positioning. A video cant tell you how uneven or creaky flooring is or how slippery bathroom or foyer tiles are. Gather practical information like testing how loudly flushing upstairs resounds in the kitchen and downstairs living areas. Taking photos on your phone to show family members is not as useful as having them on the tour to add an extra pair of eyes. Professional staging is set in place for positive reactions which may not occur without decorative preparation and strategic furniture placement. Part of staging certifies buyers obtain good phone photos. Viewing rooms from different angles will help you discover the actual utility and functionality of the space relative to how you want to live.
Checking your messages during a property viewing means you’re missing out on what you may have to live and deal with for years. Looking through a camera lens keeps you reacting to cosmetic aspects that can be changed while ignoring value factors like location, square footage, and functionality. Concentrate on being fully present when viewing a property that could be your new home. Don’t make your mind up about a property until you have thoroughly checked out it’s potential value.
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