The Rocca Sisters Blog

The quest for the perfect home can be overwhelming at times, no matter if it is your first home or your third move in only a year.

Often times, your first look at a new, potential home will be at an open house. This is an opportunity to view a potential living space to determine if it would be a good fit for you and your family.

These days, everyone’s time is valuable so it is important to weigh out the pros and cons of a property and whether or not it makes the cut for a second, closer look. Is it an ideal layout? Can you visualize your family living there?

It is a good idea to have these points on your radar the next time you are at an open house to ensure these trips are worthy and informative.

• The Neighbourhood

During your open house visit, before you step into the house – even before you step into the yard – have a critical eye for nearby homes and the location the house resides in.

Take some time to explore the neighbourhood and surrounding streets, including the traffic speeds. Are there local amenities available like schools, shopping and parks within walking distance? What about highway access if this is a must-have for you?

How about the condition of homes in the area? Are the properties next door well taken care of? Is the neighbourhood kid-friendly? Are there lots of retired people?

One of the most important takeaways from attending an open house is the ability to see a prime piece of real estate in its natural habitat, as opposed to just in a newspaper or online ad. After all, when you buy a home, you are investing into its neighbourhood.

2. The landscaping and exterior

While you are outside, take a walk around the entire perimeter of the house and look for signs of care – or lack of it.

Is there a fence and, if so, what kind of condition is it in? What about any trees? Are they well-maintained and healthy looking? Are the wooden boards on the deck rotting? Is the driveway going to need to be repaved? Will the roof shingles need to be replaced in a year or two? Not only can exterior defects be a telltale sign of maintenance habits that may be waiting inside, these issues may in fact make or break a deal.  3. The layout

Unfortunately, when you view photos online you usually are not able to tell the entire layout of the home.

How the home flows is important when determining how well your stuff will fit and even more, how well your family will fit in this home. Is the kitchen near the dining room? How large are the closets? What kind of storage space is available in the kitchen, bathrooms and garage? At an open house, follow the flow to determine if the layout of the rooms fit your lifestyle or whether it would be necessary to knock out a wall to achieve an open concept design that works best for you and your family.

While open houses provide a great opportunity to gain insight into a property, many homes are selling too quickly in our current, fast-paced seller’s market to hold an open house. To avoid disappointment, scheduling a viewing with a realtor as soon as the property hits the market is your best chance of success.

The Rocca Sisters have built a solid reputation for serving their clients with a higher standard of professionalism. Their full service, highly responsive, executive team of professionals are deeply committed to providing timely, ethical and comprehensive guidance, and as such they collaborate efficiently as a team to offer added value to your home-buying experience.

Contact the Rocca Sisters & Associates today and let their personal approach and proven results surpass your expectations.