Most house hunters know the feeling: a warm flutter when finding the perfect home. Often, it's love at first sight, and then the buyer shifts into "mortgage mode" -- identifying the best mortgage rates, applying for a loan, corralling paperwork, arranging the appraisal and gathering downpayment funds.
Usually a buyer sees the home two or three more times after the first visit: a trip just to make sure before signing a contract, a visit with the appraiser and a walk-through just before closing.
But is that enough? Perhaps not -- especially if visits have been scheduled at the convenience of the seller or the two parties' real estate agents. First-time homebuyers may be uncertain about whether they have sufficient information to be confident a home meets all of their needs and might benefit from more than two or three visits.
How many times to look at a house before buying?
Ideally, four to six viewings should be sufficient. Attending two to three visits inside, with a realtor and/or appraiser, and another two to three visits scouting the house and neighborhood independently, from the outside, may be a good approach. Here are important times to view houses for sale:
In good and bad weather: Many homes for sale are spruced up to look good on a beautiful spring day. But how does your dream home look on a dreary, rainy afternoon? One home might be cozy, another gloomy.
It's not likely you'll see the same home in winter and summer. But, at a minimum, it's best to see how it shows on bad days as well as good ones.
Early, midday and late: The same property also can look very different at various times of day. The back patio that seems so delightful in the morning sun might be too hot under the noonday sun, or uninviting in a deep afternoon shade. For a kitchen, sunshine can be cheerful in the morning, or overpowering in a hot evening.
It's valuable to see how each room in the home looks at different times of day, but especially when each room is most likely to be in use.
The neighborhood, too, can be more inviting at one time of day than others. A visit during rush hour, for example, should reveal if there are traffic jams or too many dangerous speeders. And a visit late in the evening may indicate whether the streets seem safe or menacing.
Weekdays and weekends: If anyone in the household will be at home during weekdays, right away or in the future, it would be nice to know that the neighborhood is peaceful and quiet without seeming deserted and lonely. And a weekend visit, especially in good weather, may give you a better sense of who your neighbors would be.
When school buses come: Anti-discrimination laws keep realtors from talking freely about numbers of school children, older residents and minorities. But many buyers want to know their kids will have playmates, while others would prefer quiet.
You can investigate by checking out the bus stops. If the seller or agent doesn't know, the school district can tell you the bus schedules for elementary, middle school and high school students in the area.
What should you look for when buying a home?
Most buyers prefer a home in reasonably good condition, or one that is priced fairly to account for essential repairs. Certainly, there are minor flaws you can overlook when evaluating houses for sale. But the lighting, street noise, traffic patterns and neighborhood character can all impact how happy you will be in your home.
It may be possible to combine some of the above visits and it isn't necessary to make an appointment to get inside on every occasion. But, note the time of day, weather and day of the week when you view the home with your realtor and try to go by the property on other times/days to get a full understanding of the neighborhood. A home is a long-term commitment -- well worth a few extra trips to make sure it's all it seems to be.
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FAQs
How many times to look at a house before buying? Ideally, four to six viewings should be sufficient. Attending two to three visits inside, with a realtor and/or appraiser, and another two to three visits scouting the house and neighborhood independently, from the outside, may be a good approach.
How many houses is it normal to see before buying? ›
The average home buyers will visit 10 homes over 10 weeks' time before they find “the one”—that special place that inspires an offer. But that number can vary widely: Some may fall in love with the first place they see, while others feel compelled to check out several dozen.
How many times do people look at a house before making an offer? ›
There's a range of factors that will affect how interested people are in making an offer or buying your home. In most cases, however, it generally takes somewhere between 10 and 25 showings to sell a house. With that in mind, it can sometimes take just a few showings, and others can take many more.
How long should you spend looking at a house? ›
Many agents often suggest that buyers plan to spend 15 to 30 minutes in each house so as to give you an opportunity to take a good look at everything, walk through each room, look at the amount of storage that the house has to offer, and check out all of the major systems.
What 3 rules should determine how much you spend on a house? ›
The amount of home you can afford depends on many factors including your income, credit score and lifestyle. If you know how much you can actually afford to spend on a home before you start shopping, there will be less stress throughout the process.
How many showings do most houses get? ›
In most cases, it can take anywhere between 10 and 25 showings to secure a buyer. This variability is influenced by several factors, including the property's pricing, condition, and the competitiveness of the real estate market.
How important is a view when buying a house? ›
The quickest way to determine how much a view adds value to a property is to compare two identical houses, with only one having beautiful scenery. A place that sits in a location with a breathtaking view of a body of water can be more valuable, especially if you're planning to sell it in the future.
What is a realistic first offer on a house? ›
For example, let's say you see similar homes being sold for $10,000 to $15,000 less than the asking price of your potential home. If you're in a buyer's market, it's probably safe to make an offer $10,000 below the asking price.
How soon after viewing to make an offer? ›
There are no set rules to when you must submit offers by unless you as the seller choose there to be. Some offers will come in on the same day, and some will come days later. Expect there will also be people who look for a second viewing before making an offer and this may delay how long you can expect to wait.
When making an offer on a house how much should you offer? ›
You need to determine how much you can afford to spend on a house that you may have fallen in love with or is in an area where you want to live — or both! If this is The One, then you will want to make a house offer that is at least near the asking price — perhaps within 5 percent to 10 percent.
In this article:
Before selling your home, there is a set amount of time you should stay in it to make a profit or break even on purchase costs. This amount of time varies by person and circ*mstance, but wisdom from the real estate world says an average minimum target is about five years.
What age should you look for a house? ›
Key Takeaways:
Most first-time homebuyers make a purchase when they are 35. Buying a house at a young age can mean building equity young and getting a home paid off sooner. Purchasing a house in your 20s or earlier can also mean you feel trapped, unable to move at a moment's notice.
How long should you live in a house for it to be worth buying? ›
As a REALTOR® might tell you, in order to make up for closing costs, real estate agent fees, and mortgage interest, you should plan to stay in a property for at least 5 years before you sell your home.
What price should I buy a house for if I make 60000 a year? ›
The 28/36 rule holds that if you earn $60k and don't pay too much to cover your debt each month, you can afford housing expenses of $1,400 a month. Another rule of thumb suggests you could afford a home worth $180,000, or three times your salary.
What is the 3 30 10 rule for housing? ›
Another formula that can help you determine how much house to buy is the 3-30-10 rule. In essence, the rule is that you shouldn't spend more than 3X of your income buying a home. In other words, if you earn $100,000 per year, you shouldn't spend more than $300,000 on a home.
How much house can I afford if I make $70,000 a year? ›
One rule of thumb is that the cost of your home should not exceed three times your income. On a salary of $70k, that would be $210,000. This is only one way to estimate your budget, however, and it assumes that you don't have a lot of other debts.
How many houses do people usually look at? ›
How Many Houses Does the Average Person Look At? According to research by the National Association of REALTORS®, the average homebuyer views 10 homes before making an offer and the search process takes 10 weeks.
How many houses should you see in a day? ›
Most set their daily limit around six to eight homes per day, depending on the market. Some would not go on more than four tours in one day. Narrow down your search, especially if you've already decided on a neighborhood or specific area. Drive around and find homes that you like.
Where do most buyers find their homes? ›
89% of buyers purchased their home through a real estate agent or broker. Where buyers found the home they purchased: Internet: 52% Real estate agent: 28%
What is the #1 feature to consider when buying a home? ›
#1: Price. The first and most obvious consideration when buying a home is the price. When you're house hunting, it's essential to establish a realistic budget and stick to it. While it's tempting to fall in love with a house that stretches your means, overextending yourself can lead to financial stress in the long run.
Most house hunters know the feeling: a warm flutter when finding the perfect home. Often, it's love at first sight, and then the buyer shifts into "mortgage mode" -- identifying the best mortgage rates, applying for a loan, corralling paperwork, arranging the appraisal and gathering downpayment funds.