What to Expect When You’re Ready to See a Home in Person
Looking at homes online is one thing.
Walking through them is completely different.
Photos can give you an idea of what a home looks like, but you can’t really understand the layout, condition, neighborhood, noise, views, smells, or overall feel of a property until you’re there.
That’s why touring homes is such an important part of the buying process.
I’m Devin, a native Berea, KY REALTOR®, & when we’re touring properties, my goal isn’t to convince you to buy a particular house.
It’s to help you figure out whether the house actually makes sense for you.
Before We Start Touring
By this point, you’ve hopefully started getting a feel for what you’re looking for.
You’ve been:
• Searching online
• Comparing homes
• Learning neighborhoods
• Figuring out your price range
• Identifying what you like
• Eliminating what you don’t like
Now we’re ready to take that search offline.
But before we start opening doors, there’s one important change to the home-buying process you should know about.
You Need an Agreement Before We Tour
Since the real estate industry changed in 2024, REALTORS® are required to have a written agreement with a buyer before performing certain services, including touring homes.
That means I can’t simply meet you at a house for the first time, unlock the door & start representing you without having an agreement in place.
And honestly, I think there’s a positive side to this.
You should know who you’re hiring.
You’re not just choosing someone to open doors.
You’re choosing the person who may be:
• Advising you on properties
• Helping you determine value
• Writing your offers
• Negotiating on your behalf
• Coordinating inspections
• Helping you understand contracts
• Navigating the transaction
• Looking out for your best interests
That’s a pretty important decision.
Your Buyer Representation Agreement
When you decide you want me to represent you, we’ll go through a written buyer representation agreement.
I’ll explain what it means, what I’m agreeing to do for you, what you’re agreeing to do, & how compensation works.
I don’t expect you to sign something you don’t understand.
Ask questions.
If something doesn’t make sense, let’s talk about it.
My goal is for you to know exactly what our relationship looks like before we start seriously shopping for a home.
Why Buyer Representation Matters
When you hire me as your buyer’s agent, I’m representing you.
That means my responsibility is to help you make informed decisions based on your best interests.
I’m not there simply to tell you:
“This house is beautiful!”
I’m there to ask:
“Does this house actually make sense?”
That can mean pointing out things you may not notice.
It can mean looking at comparable sales.
It can mean discussing the condition of the property.
It can mean telling you when I think a house is overpriced.
It can mean telling you when I think you’re getting a good opportunity.
And sometimes it means telling you:
“I don’t think you should buy this house.”
That’s part of my job.
What I Look For When We Tour
Every house is different.
I’m going to pay attention to things like:
• Overall condition
• Layout
• Age of major systems
• Signs of deferred maintenance
• Roof
• HVAC
• Foundation
• Water intrusion
• Drainage
• Crawlspace or basement conditions
• Additions or modifications
• Location
• Traffic & road noise
• Lot characteristics
• Potential resale concerns
I’m also thinking about what an inspector or appraiser may notice later.
That doesn’t mean I’m replacing your home inspector.
I’m not.
A professional home inspection is still an important part of the buying process.
My job is to help you identify potential questions before you get too far into the transaction.
Don’t Expect Me to Sell You the House
This is important.
If you walk into a house & immediately say:
“This is the one!”
I’m not going to start trying to convince you that everything about it is perfect.
We’re going to slow down.
Let’s figure out:
Why do you love it?
Then:
What concerns do we have?
Then:
What does the market tell us about the price?
Then:
What would it take to actually buy it?
That’s a much better way to make a major financial decision.
Tour More Than One House
Even if you think you’ve found the perfect house, I generally like buyers to see enough properties to develop some context.
You might walk into House #1 & think:
“This is exactly what I want.”
Then you see House #2 & realize the kitchen you thought was important isn’t actually important.
Then House #3 makes you realize you really don’t want a two-story house.
Every house teaches you something.
That’s why touring isn’t just about finding a house.
It’s about learning what you want.
Don’t Be Afraid to Tour the Ugly House
Remember the window-shopping strategy?
It applies here, too.
Go see the ugly house.
Bad listing photos don’t necessarily mean a bad house.
Maybe the photography is terrible.
Maybe the house is cluttered.
Maybe the layout doesn’t photograph well.
Maybe the house looks completely different in person.
You don’t know until you see it.
And the opposite is true, too.
A beautifully photographed home may look incredible online & disappoint you when you walk through it.
Don’t make your entire decision based on pictures.
What Happens During a Tour?
When we schedule a property, I’ll meet you at the home & we’ll walk through it together.
Take your time.
Open closets.
Look at storage.
Check the room sizes.
Pay attention to natural light.
Listen to the noise level.
Look at the neighborhood.
Think about how you’d actually live there.
And ask questions.
You don’t need to pretend you love something because we’re there.
If you hate it, tell me.
That’s useful information.
If you love it, tell me that, too.
We’re narrowing the search.
What If You Find a House You Love?
That’s when we slow down—not speed up.
Before writing an offer, we’ll look at the property from several angles.
We’ll consider things like:
• Recent comparable sales
• Current competition
• Days on market
• Property condition
• Asking price
• Potential repairs
• Your financing
• Your monthly payment
• Seller concessions
• Your desired terms
• Your inspection strategy
• Your overall goals
Then we can decide whether making an offer makes sense.
And if it does, we’ll move into the next stage: writing the Offer
Your First Tour Doesn’t Mean You’re Hiring Me Forever
If you’re just getting started & aren’t ready to commit to a long-term buyer relationship, let’s talk about that.
I believe I should earn your business.
You should have the opportunity to decide whether I’m the right REALTOR® for you.
We’ll discuss the available options, the representation agreement, what it covers, & how I can help you.
You deserve to know who you’re hiring before making that commitment.
My Goal When We Tour Homes
I don’t want you walking away from a showing thinking:
“Devin really wants me to buy this house.”
I want you walking away thinking:
“Devin helped me understand this house.”
That’s a very different thing.
Because buying a home isn’t about finding someone who can sell you a house.
It’s about finding someone who can help you make a smart decision about one.
Ready to See Some Homes?
If you’ve already started window shopping & you’re ready to start seeing properties in person, the next step is to get in touch.We’ll talk about what you’re looking for, where you’re searching, your timeline & what makes sense for your situation.
Book a Buyer’s Consultation →
Or go back to:
← Window Shop
Once you find the right property, the next step is: