Many times when I’m working with a first time buyer, they enter the home looking only at the size of the rooms, or the layout of the home and envisioning their things in place- they may get caught up in the smaller details and miss the bigger items that are more important.

I always like to attend showings or open houses if I can with my buyers to show them what I’m walking in looking for- and I’ll share these tips with you for when you’re ready to start shopping!

1. Start outside. I love starting outside and walking around the home.  I look at the roof, the siding, and make sure everything looks in tact and in good condition.  I’ll take note of dangerously overhanging trees, any roof/chimney/siding concerns that a home inspector would mention, and I also take a look at the property lines and see if there’s anything on the property that my buyer would want removed/repaired/remain prior to closing.
2. Sinks- I ALWAYS peek under the sinks of the home for any leaks or signs of water damage- and while I’m at it, I’ll check the toilets to make sure they aren’t loose.
3. My third tip is to check the age of the water tank.  Water tanks typically last about 10 years- on average. If the tank is older, you’ll want to either budget for that, or take that into consideration with your offer.
4. While you’re in the basement, open up the electric box and look at the panel- do you have room to grow if you want to add that hot tub or central air?
5. Another thing I look at is the furnace- it’s important to know how old it is, and how recently it’s been serviced. I usually recommend asking a seller for that information prior to submitting an offer- no one likes surprises at/after home inspections.

Bonus tip- while you’re down in the basement, in addition to checking the mechanics, take a peek around for any evidence of pests- do they have the black boxes or sticky boxes out?

This is a VERY short list of what I’m actually looking for and pointing out to my buyers at showings- If you want to know what else I’m looking at, let’s set up an appointment to talk and start your house hunting adventures!

#FindYourSpaceWithStace

Stacy Mafera

617-379-1463