So you are looking at a house online and want to see it in person, as most of the time what you see in photos does not equal the reality.

First thing first – share it with your real estate agent, do not call the phone number on the listing, as you will get to the listing agent, which represents the seller. You want to have representation yourself, thus an agent who advocates for you.

When my clients see a property that they present interest in, I don’t automatically schedule the showing. I first check the property on my end, to make sure it fits their terms. For example, some properties can only be purchased with cash ( investment properties who requires a lot of work is one good example ), while others do not qualify for an FHA loan. If the buyer needs to move into the house quick but the seller requires a post-possession, than this is obviously not the best home for that buyer. Checking if the home is priced too high is also something that I’d like to know before. And the list can go on and on. But last and not least, the buyer should have proof of funds or a pre-approval letter from their lender, this way we know if the house is within the right budget.

Once the house passes the initial verification, then the agent is to be making an appointment to go see it. The buyer and the agent will come up with a time that works for both. The buyer’s agent is going to contact the listing agent through a scheduling system to request the showing. An approval is needed in order to enter the house. Notifying the agent in advance, at least one hour before, is recommended. We have to follow their instructions, as sometime they have restriction during certain hours to enter the house.  Sometime the showing agent or the seller request that they’d be present…it happens.

One aspect of the showing is to be mindful of the time, be on time and leave on time. We should be respectful of other potential buyers, as well as the seller’s time especially if the house is not vacant. When we book the appointment, we have an option of how long we would stay in the house. We can choose 15, 20, 30 or 60 minutes for example. There is some information on the viewing etiquette on my previous blog.

A feedback on the home you just saw is always welcome, as the listing agent would expect that from us.

But what if you want to see multiple homes in one day? Well, in this case, I personally like to check the distance in between homes and schedule accordingly, taking into consideration the drive time.

As you can notice, there is some effort that agents put before opening doors to homes. I hope this article helps you get a little understanding of what is happening behind the scenes ;), and if you have any questions, put them in the comments or contact me directly.