real tour homes

What to Look For on a Home Tour

Reading Time: 9 minutes

Touring homes can be a thrilling experience, especially if you’re a first-time homebuyer . However, you can easily get swept away in the excitement of it all and not realize that you’re missing out on some very important details about the home. Knowing what you want before touring homes is a great start, then while you’re on home tours don’t be shy to test everything. 

To help you feel more confident as you’re touring homes, we’ve broken it down for you: 

• How to prepare for a home tour
• How to schedule a tour
• What to look for when touring a house
• Questions to ask before, during, and after a home tour

What is a home tour? 

Touring homes is one of the most exciting parts of the homebuying process. A home tour is when you finally get to see those online listings in person, which will give you the best idea if a home is a right fit for you. You can either tour a home in person or you can take a virtual home tour via video chat. However, it’s always best if you’re able to see the home in person. So when you’ve found a home you’re really interested in online, schedule a tour as soon as possible.

Be sure to take notes and photos as you’re touring. Most of the time you’ll be viewing a handful of homes, so this will make it easier to remember your thoughts and the details of each home. If health guidelines allow, try everything: open and close doors, flip light switches, test out the water pressure, and don’t forget about looking at the exterior of the home.

Not every house will be perfect, so try not to get caught up in minor cosmetic details, like paint colors or hardware finishes. However, you’ll want to be on the lookout for any red flags as you’re house hunting . Your agent should be able to point out potential problems and answer your questions as you walk through the home.

If you’re touring a home virtually with your agent, much of this same advice applies, though you’re obviously limited in how you can interact with the home. The most important thing you can do is be assertive in asking your agent to investigate the home for you and answer any questions you have. Learn what to ask during a virtual tour .

What’s the difference between an open house and a private home tour?

An open house is a public and typically casual event hosted by the listing agent that gives everyone the opportunity to leisurely tour the home for sale. Most open houses take place on Saturday and Sunday, usually between 10 am and 4 pm. Open houses are a great way to casually view a home either on your own or with your agent. But because they are open to everyone, you usually won’t be able to see the home in as much detail as you’d like. If you want to spend additional time taking detailed measurements and scrutinizing every square inch, you’ll want to book a follow-up private tour with your real estate agent.

Privately touring a home generally requires working with a buyer’s agent, but this can easily be done online within just a few minutes. A private, in-person home tour is the best way to see a home in detail. Be sure you give yourself enough time to get a feel not only for the home itself but also for the surrounding neighborhood.

Get pre-approved and secure your dream home

Before you begin touring homes, do your online research and start narrowing down your list of must-haves versus nice-to-haves. Then try to find homes to tour within your price range. Here are some things to consider before you start touring homes.

Research the neighborhood

Take a few minutes before or after your home tour to check out the neighborhood. How does the neighborhood feel? Is it bustling or is it quiet? Is there shopping, dining, and other amenities nearby? What are the schools like?

If you’re interested in making an offer on the home, you should do additional research online and ask your agent what she or he knows about the surrounding area. Also look at the home’s school rankings, Walk Score®, and Transit Score®, which can be found toward the bottom of the home’s listing page.

Floor plan, number of rooms, and room sizes

Do you prefer an open layout or do you like the differentiation between rooms in a house? 

As you’re touring homes, it’s important to think about the functionality of the home’s floorplan and layout, and if it will accommodate your lifestyle.

You’ll likely determine how many bedrooms you’re looking for before you begin touring homes, but don’t forget to note the size of the rooms when you start viewing houses in person. Will the bedrooms be large enough for your kids as they get older? Will it be spacious enough to accommodate a home office? While the number of bedrooms is important, so is the square footage of each room.

How important is natural light and the direction your home faces?

If having plenty of natural light ranks high on your list of must-haves, you’ll want to take note of the amount of light each room may get throughout the day. Does the home face north or south? Typically, a south-facing home will see the most hours of sunlight throughout the day.

Do you have a preference on the style and age of the home?

Have you narrowed down the style of home you want? From craftsman-style houses to mid-century modern homes , there are many home styles to choose from. By browsing listings online, you’ll be able to get an idea of what home style(s) you’re most drawn to which can also help narrow down your search.

Would you prefer to buy a turnkey home that’s move-in ready? Are you looking for an older home that you can renovate or make minor upgrades? If you’re considering buying an older home, there are extra precautions you’ll want to take before putting in an offer. If the home has popcorn ceilings , you’ll want to consider the possibility of asbestos. How is the foundation? When will the roof need to be replaced next? 

Outdoor features

Last but not least, you should have an idea in mind of what you’re looking for in terms of outdoor space. Do you want a large, open yard? Are you looking for an outdoor space with a pool or enough space to install one? Or are you looking for a smaller patio area that will still allow you to lounge outside but without the upkeep of a large yard?

How to schedule a home tour  

Once you’ve done your research and you’re ready to start viewing homes in person, you can easily book a home tour online. Follow these quick instructions to book your online tour: 

1. On the right-hand side underneath the listing photos, find the “Go see this home” section. Then simply select the date you’d like to see the home, and whether you’d like to see it in person or via video chat, and press “Schedule Tour.”

2. You’ll then be prompted with a few more questions regarding the home tour. Select the time that works best for you, your preferred method home tour method, and provide your contact information. And that’s it!

House tour checklist: What to look for when touring a house

Once inside a home, try everything. Follow common courtesy but don’t be shy—open and shut the cupboards, flush the toilets, and whip out the measuring tape. Pay attention to stairways especially. Are the stairs comfortable to go up and down? Is there a rail? Are there any squeaks in the stairs or do they feel sturdy? Are there any turns or will the width be an issue when moving furniture? Here are a few key things to look for on each home tour:

• Architectural style
• Number, location, and size of bedrooms
• Number, location, and size of bathrooms
• Closet and storage space
• Number of floors
• Sightlines throughout the home
• General floorplan
• Age and condition of appliances
• Light switches and number of sockets in each room
• Plumbing and water pressure
• Amount of natural light and views, if any
• Noise levels inside and outside the home
• Width and types of stairways
• Porches and decks
• Garage and/or parking capacity
• Proximity to neighboring homes
• Remodeling opportunities
• Condition of roof and gutters
• Cracks in foundation and driveway
• Overgrown trees that could cause your home damage
• Signs of water damage
• Wall and floor condition such as uneven flooring, chips, or miss-matched flooring
• The age of the electrical box 
• How the home is heated and cooled (i.e. oil, gas, electric)
• Possible pest infestation or other visible damage

Don’t forget about the exterior

Don’t forget to walk around the entire home and property. Pay attention to the age and condition of the roof and siding. Does the landscaping look like it will be a lot of work? If you don’t have a green thumb and don’t want to hire a gardener every month, you may want to look for a home with easy outdoor upkeep.

Take notes throughout the home tour

It’s easy to get homes mixed up so be sure to take notes on each tour. Write down features you particularly like and dislike about each home, and share these insights with your agent. Looking through your notes with fresh eyes may also trigger additional questions you have about the home.

Use your five senses when touring homes

Sight: Are there signs of water damage? Do you see mold? What does it look like under the sinks? How close are the homes next door? Can you see inside of your neighbor’s home? Is there natural light coming through or do the rooms feel dark? Is there anything of concern being covered by window dressings, rugs, etc.?

Hearing: What is the noise level like in the neighborhood? Can you hear nearby traffic noise, or is the house located near a railway? Is the interior of the home quiet or can you hear the HVAC system? Do the floors squeak?

Smell : Can you smell any odors from the carpet, such as animal odors? Do the bathrooms smell of mildew? Do the rooms smell over-sanitized with artificial fragrances? Does it smell like fresh paint?

Touch: What is the water pressure and temperature like? Do any of the walls feel damp, particularly in the bathrooms? Do the floors feel level? Is the tile slippery? Are the heated floors actually heated?

Taste : What does the tap water taste like?

Questions to ask your real estate agent when looking at a house

Agents tour homes every day. Pick your agent’s brain for any unique qualities that stand out or flaws that you could be unaware of. If your agent doesn’t know the answer to a question, she or he can always ask the seller’s agent later. Here are a few common questions to ask your agent:

• What do you like about the home?
• Do you have any concerns about this home?
• Is the home priced reasonably?
• How long has this home been on the market?
• When are offers due?
• How many offers have been made?
• Do you think the home will sell quickly?
• Why is the home for sale?
• How old is the home?
• Is the home located in a flood zone?
• What home improvements did the sellers make?
• Are any repairs needed?
• What type of heating and cooling systems are in place?
• How old is the electrical and plumbing?
• How old is the roof?
• When were the floors last refinished?
• What’s included in the home sale (like appliances)?
• Can you see a copy of the current owner’s utilities?
• Is there a homeowner’s association with fees?
• How old are the appliances?
• Is there a pre-listing home inspection?
• How often has the home been sold in the last 10 years?

Red flags to look for when touring a house

While you should be looking for home features that check off your boxes, you should also be looking for red flags as you tour a house. These are a few potential red flags you should be aware of and pay close attention to during home tours: 

• Overly-scented rooms – If there’s an overpowering fragrance, this could indicate that the seller is attempting to mask an odor. Be sure to investigate further for signs of pet odor, mildew, and so on.
• Water stains and damage – If you notice any water stains, there’s a chance that there’s underlying water damage to the home, which could lead to costly repairs later on. You’ll want to take note of this and point it out during the inspection if you decide to submit an offer.
•  A lack of maintenance – Be on the lookout for any signs that the homeowner has neglected regular maintenance, such as burnt-out lightbulbs, fading paint, and leaking faucets. If they didn’t upkeep these smaller items, imagine what larger issues have been avoided.
•  Foundation issues – Are doors and windows difficult to open? Are there any noticeable cracks around doorways or windows? These could be indicators of underlying problems with the foundation.
•  A sagging ceiling – If you notice the ceiling is sagging, this is an indication that there’s a larger structural problem. 
•  Fresh paint – While it’s normal for a seller to freshen up their home with paint before selling, if there’s only one wall that’s been painted or it feels out of place, trust your gut. This could be a sign they’re trying to cover up an issue.

The bottom line 

Homebuying takes plenty of compromise and patience. It’s easy to fall in love with a home at first sight—and if you love a home, chances are everyone else will too. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but just realize that you may be up against some competition. Be prepared to make multiple offers before you find the right home at the right price.

If homes in your market tend to sell well over list price, keep that point in mind while you search for homes. Also, stick to your budget when you make an offer. By the time most buyers find out that a home with a low list price will sell for a lot more, they are typically already invested and are willing to bid up to “win” the home. Don’t overlook any red flags just because your heart is set on a home, though. You may not think something is a big issue now, but could be a potential health risk later on or lead to costly repairs.

Mekaila is a part of the content marketing team and enjoys writing about real estate and design trends. Her dream home would have ocean views and floor-to-ceiling windows to let in plenty of natural light.

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How To Tour a House Today: Tips To Make the Most of Virtual or In-Person Showings

Touring a house is like going on a first date: It’s your chance to get a sense of whether this home is the one. Can you envision baking cookies in that kitchen, or cracking a beer on that back deck?

But in this day and age, with so many houses to see and so little time before they get snapped up, the prospect of finding this dream home in the real estate haystack can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming. Add in the coronavirus pandemic, and the idea of checking out houses all around town might feel unsafe, too.

But here’s the good news: The rules on how to tour a house have changed in ways that can save time, lower your exposure to COVID-19, and curb your workload and stress levels, too. Here’s what you need to know to ace your house-hunting game for the modern day.

How to schedule a home tour

Most home buyers start their house hunt online—that’s a given. But once you spot a home you love, what’s next?

In the olden days of real estate, a home tour would kick off with several rounds of phone/email tag. You’d call your real estate agent, who would then contact the home’s listing agent, and once they’d talked you’d get looped in to when you can finally see the house. Talk about complicated! And that’s for just one house; most home buyers are juggling multiple home tours.

But today, the process is much simpler. For one, many real estate listings have a button you can click on to learn more about a property, sans the annoying phone games. On some listings, you can schedule a tour simply by clicking on your preferred day and time to visit. (See the Schedule a Tour  option on the right side of the sample listing below.)

In short, the process of scheduling a tour can now happen in a few seconds, no harder than ordering lunch on Seamless. After you submit your information, you’ll be assigned a local real estate agent, who will reach out to you directly to confirm your tour time and format. (More on your options there next.)

(Realtor.com)

Should I schedule a virtual tour or visit in person?

It wasn’t long ago when the only way to tour a house would be to visit in person. But today, you also have the option to take a virtual tour. You just schedule a tour as you usually would, but request a virtual home showing where a real estate agent shows you around the house via a live video stream on Google Hangouts, FaceTime, Zoom, or other app.

So should you opt for a virtual tour, or go for the real thing? According to many real estate experts, a virtual tour is the faster, easier, and safest place to start. While buying a home “sight unseen” as they say is a risky move few are willing to take (although it is done now more than ever), virtual tours are still a great way to whittle down your options and spend less time running around town.

“Virtual tours can act as a clearinghouse for buyers to narrow down their search,” says Jack Smith , a real estate agent with Shorewest Realtors in Milwaukee. From there, if you like what you see, you can proceed to an in-person tour to get a closer look.

What to look for on a home tour

Whether you’re conducting a virtual or in-person tour, it’s important to get to know every nook and cranny of the property. Breezing from room to room is not enough—particularly if you’re doing a remote tour where small details might be out of view.

As such, you’ll want to check out some less obvious features to make sure the house is in good shape. Here are some areas to home in on that many buyers might miss:

• The HVAC and hot water systems:  The age and quality of these big-ticket systems can make or break your budget, so while they’re not quite as fun as that gigantic kitchen island or the bonus room above the garage, they should be top priorities during your tour, even if you plan to hire an experienced home inspector.
• The exterior:  Don’t limit your tour to the house itself. Be sure to check out the garage, front and back yards, and any structures on the property such as swimming pools or gardening sheds.
• The neighborhood at large: You’re not just buying a home, but the neighborhood. Try to see the homes surrounding the one for sale to get a sense of what your life there would be like. Tons of traffic whizzing by might be a deterrent if you have kids or a dog; nearby restaurants and bars might be nice but will add to ambient noise. To get to know this area better, check out local neighborhood apps like Nextdoor.com.

What role does a real estate agent play in a home tour?

A real estate agent can serve as an excellent sounding board when touring a house. Plus, if you’re conducting a virtual tour, your agent may be able to visit the property on your behalf and answer any lingering questions you have, says Tony Mariotti , a real estate agent with RubyHome in Los Angeles.

“Buyers have asked us to check the number of electrical outlets and data ports in a room they intend to use as an office,” Mariotti says. “We’ve also measured and ‘reality checked’ rooms that looked big in listing photos due to wide-angle lenses.”

What to ask when touring houses

During a home tour, you’ll want to delve deeper by asking your real estate agent questions about the house. Here are some topics to hit.

• How old is the home? How old are the various systems and structural elements, like the roof and the water heater?
• Has any renovation work been done? If so, were the proper permits pulled and can I see them? Was the work performed by a licensed contractor, electrician, plumber, etc.?
• Are there any previous insurance claims that could affect insurability? Are there any special insurance policies required for the home?
• What were the average costs of utilities (water, electric, gas, sewer, and trash) over the past 12 months?
• What is the home’s listing history, including any price reductions or contracts that fell through? Why did the seller drop the price? Why did the home fall out of contract?
• Are there homeowners association fees? If so, what do they cover? How are the fees billed?

How home buyers can make the most out of touring homes

When touring bunches of homes, it can be hard to remember which house had that spa bathroom or sunroom you adored. To keep one home tour from blurring with the next, keep a notebook where you can make notes and reminders to help keep all the homes straight. Give each house a name if that helps you, and be sure to highlight any important concerns that jumped out during the tour.

And lest you get swept up swooning over home features that won’t really matter that much in the long run (e.g., that outdoor hot tub is nice but not all that necessary), it may help to write down a list of your top house-hunting priorities.

“Buyers should have a list of their ‘must haves,’ their ‘like to haves,’ and things they are willing to compromise on in a property,” says Cara Ameer , a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker in California and Florida.

Similar to dating, you should probably just accept that you can’t have it all, and that some flexibility will be needed if you want your house hunt to end anytime soon.

Sarah Kuta is a writer and editor based in Colorado.

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An On-Demand, Interactive Self-Tour Experience

The convenience home shoppers want. the solution sales teams deserve., exceed the expectations of modern home shoppers.

When surveyed, 79% of new construction buyers agree that the only way to understand the layout of a home is to see it in-person. Of those surveyed, 70% also indicated that it would be easier to unlock properties with their phone and tour them in-person on their own time — up from 64% reported in 2020. (Source: Zillow New Construction Consumer Housing Trends Report 2021)

These statistics reinforce what we already know to be true about the growing demands of today’s home shoppers and UTour can help you deliver on these expectations.

According to Zillow’s New Construction Consumer Housing Trends Report 2020 , 59% of new home buyers prefer to tour homes in-person before making a purchase decision and 64% agree that it would be easier for them to self-tour homes on their own time. Per Zillow, this is “an indication that they also prefer to tour without an agent or sales rep when experiencing a home for the first time.” UTour is a critical tool for homebuilders to increase sales efficiently through more in-person, “no-contact” self-guided tours after normal sales hours.

Today's Homebuyer Expects:

More convenience, less sales pressure, "no-contact" experience.

“No-Contact” Experience

Industry problems, solved by utour, overwhelming volume of interest.

Due to unprecedented market conditions, many builders are past capacity and unable to meet demand. UTour can keep home shoppers engaged while giving your sales team more time to handle in-person appointments.

Staffing and Scheduling Issues

Quality sales professionals are difficult to find. Many talented sales people won’t consider working for a builder as they don’t want to work weekends. UTour fills gaps in the schedule, offering tours without the sales team present.

Lingering COVID-19 Concerns

Even with the height of the pandemic behind us, COVID-19 has triggered a lasting impact on consumer behavior. Home shoppers’ expectations for a safe, no-contact experience still remain — and UTour can deliver.

Rising to the Top at The Nationals 2021

Utour earns silver awards in two categories:.

Best Use of Technology

Best Marketing Promotion by Supplier or Industry Partner

Self-Tour Online Guides & Resources

Ready to embrace the innovative technology that today’s home shoppers expect? Use the free resources below to learn how UTour is designed to make life easier for both home shoppers and homebuilders. It’s exciting and intuitive, and our team is available to help every step of the way.

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