Homebuyers

Buying a Home? These are the Best Times to Tour—And When to Skip the Visit

Buying a home is a major life and financial decision, so you want to be sure you’re purchasing the right one. That’s why it’s worth taking the time to really get a feel for the property and the surrounding neighborhood.

For many, a busy schedule means that it may be hard to find the time to tour a home, especially when you’re visiting multiple properties.

You may only be able to see it once. However, taking the time for a second or third look could make all the difference when trying to figure out if this is the right home, and neighborhood, for you and your family.

“It's definitely worth it to view the home multiple times,” said real estate broker Tiffany Alexy, of the Alexy Realty Group in Durham, N.C. “Many times, when you’re looking at homes, you’re looking at a few at a time and they tend to blur together and it’s good to refresh your memory.”

Why should homebuyers tour a home multiple times?

Homebuyers should tour the properties they like more than once before submitting an offer. This can help you remember what you liked about a home. Visiting it at different times can also give you a realistic idea of what it might be like to live there during the week, on weekends, and at night.

“There is usually the ‘wow’ factor when you see a home for the first time,” said real estate broker Rebecca Monson of Home and Slate. She is based in Truckee, Calif. “When buyers see the home for the second time, they look closer at more details. Maybe you’ll see some of the flaws in the home you missed the first time around.”

For example, you can open and close doors to see if they function properly or look at the rooms more closely to see if your furniture will fit. It also gives you a chance to see what the home looks like at different times of the day.

Touring a home during the day

Viewing a property during the day will give you a sense of what the home looks like with natural light coming in. If you happen to be there it’s raining, you may be able to see other factors like the drainage of the yard.

Or, depending on the time of year, you may be able to see where the snow may fall on the roof. That may impact the type of maintenance you may need to do at different times of the year.

Visiting a home during the daylight hours is also a good time to get a sense of the surrounding area.

“Touring the home during the day is helpful to see what amenities are nearby, whether it is schools or activities for your kids,” said David Gavri, real estate agent with Realty One Group in Las Vegas. “You may also be able to meet the neighbors if they’re home.”

Alexy adds that during the day it may also be easier to see any potential flaws, like moisture stains or cracks.

You can also get a sense of the neighborhood by walking around the nearby properties. That can help you to get a sense if this is a community where there are children running around on Saturday afternoon, if there is loud music, lots of cars speeding by, and other things that may influence your decision to purchase the home.

Touring a home at night

Being able to tour a home a night can help you to see what it might feel to live there. For example, maybe you realize you’ll need more light fixtures, or the noise level around your neighborhood is more than you can bear.

It’s also helpful to see how well-lit the area is and whether you feel safe in the area at night.

Visiting a home in the evening can also help you to also assess other features of the neighborhood when folks are coming home from work. See what traffic is like during rush hour, and whether the number or cars and noise levels are acceptable to you.

It’s also helpful to see how many cars are parked around the home, especially if it’s a busy area. Knowing traffic patterns and the neighborhood at night will help you to get a sense of how it could be for your commute home.

After all, living in a home means you’ll be there during the day and evening hours. So, seeing what it’s like to be there during different times will give you the best possible opportunity to see what the home truly feels like before you make an offer.