How Many Houses Should You See Before Buying Your Home?

Or maybe the bigger question is "Should you still see other homes even though the first home you saw  seems perfect?"  In short, there is no real average, and there is no right or wrong answer. It's different for everyone.

Yes, it's an exciting time when you are buying a home, and whether you  are looking for your very first house or your fifth house, there's always something fun to remember about the  experience.

One of the first things that buyers ask me is "how many houses do you think we'll need to see before we find the one we want to buy?"....and the answer depends on a lot of things.

Personally,  I  consult with a buyer before we go out and look, and ask a lot of questions, so I don't waste the buyers time looking at houses that don't even have the basic criteria that they set forth. It's my duty as an agent to find out what's mandatory, and what would be a bonus, and also find out what things are an absolute no-go. It's what I call the "must haves or definitely nots"

Most agents will ask you what price range you want to be in, how many bedrooms you need, and how many baths  you would like in your new home. If they search from that criteria alone, you may be looking at  a LOT of houses! I wouldn't say you should put so many restrictions on your search that you narrow down the list of possibilities to almost nothing, but at the same time, it's important to pinpoint those "must haves and definitely nots", and that's your agents job. Sometimes, the only way some buyers can figure that out is by looking at a few homes to at least narrow down the criteria. For example, you look at a few different styles of homes, and know immediately that you don't like the cape style,  or the contemporary style for example, and those get scratched off the list of possibles in the future. Maybe you like a particular neighborhood, and your house has to be in that neighborhood, too. But maybe, the perfect home is just a street or two away.Just a thought-  Would you say no to that?

You might see a home or two that needs a kitchen remodel,and you decide that a renovation is not something you want to do as soon as you move in. So you scratch those off the list, too. The you see a house with a fireplace and you just have to have a fireplace. So that's a must have. You see a house with an attached garage, as opposed to one with no garage or a garage in the backyard and  think, I have to  have an attached garage, too.

Well let me ask you this, and think about this for a minute, If you saw a great house that had a fireplace and an attached garage but the kitchen needed minor remodeling,  would you still consider it? These are just examples, but a great agent will ask enough questions before you go out, and while you are looking at homes, to decipher that answer, because it may not be what you expect.

So the answer is, the better your agent is at asking questions, the faster you will find your home. It's that simple.  If you are not under contract with an agent to represent you, call me. I'll ask the right questions and help you get that new home as soon as you like!

"When You Deserve the Best, You Deserve Judy"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 The Featured Home of the Week is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath ranch home at 20 Hickory Drive, Westport  for just $549,900. See the virtual tour HERE 

 .....or better yet, call Judy to schedule an appointment to see it!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 Buying or Selling a Home in Fairfield County?  Contact us!

If you have a question about buying or selling Real Estate in  Fairfield County, and are in need of representation, I invite you to contact me. I know the market like the back of my hand, know marketing inside and out, am a skilled negotiator- and I'd love to be on your side :) - Judy

Search for properties on any of our sites, or get the very best visibility available for your home. Visit us online wherever you like: Find out more about Judy here

www.CThomesAndRealEstate.com      www.TheCTrealtyBlog.com     www.TheCTRB.com    and   www.CTfeaturedHomes.com 

 Email us or  call Toll Free (855) GET-JUDY