Pressed For Time? Ask Your Agent To Preview A Listing For You
When you're looking to buy a house, one of the most time-consuming elements is attending open houses and showings. If you have highly specific requirements, you may need to look at a considerable number of properties before you identify the one on which you'll make an offer — and this can add up to hours and hours spent. Whether you're short on time or this process doesn't overly interest you, you might like to know that you can have your real estate agent preview listings for you. This involves him or her going to a house, walking through it, and then reporting back to you. Here are some things that this process can entail.
List Of Critical Details
While a real estate listing can provide a lot of information about the property, actually walking through the house can often reveal a lot more. When your agent previews a listing for you, he or she can compile a list of critical details that you can use to assess whether you wish to take the time to visit the house or not. For example, your agent might note that while the master bedroom's dimensions seem a bit small on paper, the space actually feels roomier because of a large window. Or the agent might suggest that the basement is dark and smells like mildew and it may be better to pass on looking at that house further.
Photos Of Specific Things
Sellers are careful to ensure that their listing photos reflect the best qualities of the house, and they may avoid sharing photos of scenes that may discourage prospective buyers. When your agent previews a listing for you, you can expect to see photographs of things that weren't featured in the online listing. Using his or her smartphone, your agent will take snapshots of things that you'll need to see to evaluate. Not all of the photos will show the property in a bad light, however — the agent will also take photos of things that are positive.
The Agent's Recommendation
Because your agent will ideally know exactly what you're looking for in a house, you'll also get the agent's recommendation about how you should proceed after he or she has completed the preview. You can commonly expect your agent to tell you that you should either forget about this house or go check it out. In some cases, the agent may include the caveat that you should schedule a showing quickly because the house may generate considerable interest.
