Define Search Boundaries

80% of all home searches begin on the internet. With the use of the multiple listing service (MLS.ca) buyers can search a multitude of listings, view virtual tours, sort through photos and learn about the neighborhood. By the time you reach your Realtors office you’ll probably have a good idea of what type of home and neighborhood you want.

How long should it take to find a home?

The market sometimes determines the length of time needed to make the decision. In a Sellers market (we’re in right now) there are not as many homes on the market and there are lots of buyer looking to buy them. In a buyer’s market there are dozens of homes with very few buyers. Generally speaking a motivated buyer will find a home within 2 weeks. A few buyers will look for years, but buyers who do that aren’t motivated.

How many homes will you see?

Studies show that your memory improves after consumption of healthy carbohydrates and slows upon sugar consumption. Stay away from high sugar foods before your viewings and load up on carbs. The average number of homes that you can look at and remember the details is 7. Any more than that and your brain is on overload, so don’t expect to view 15 – 20 homes in a day.

The Costco Theory

Say you’re walking through Costco and you find a big ticket item that you must have, it’s perfect, the price is pretty good and you’ve been planning on buying one but couldn’t find it anywhere. So do you buy it? Of course not, you decide to look around to see if you can find a better one at a lesser cost. You shop around for the next while and realize you should have bought it. Finally you go back to Costco and it’s gone. Don’t shop for a home this way, it can get very frustrating. When you find the perfect home, buy it.

How to Evaluate the Inventory

• Take copious notes of unusual features, colors and design elements
• Pay attention to the surroundings
• Immediately after leaving, rate each home on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest
• For more questions check out “questions to ask when viewing a home”
• View top choices a second time

After touring homes for a few days you will probably instinctively know which ones you would like to buy. Seeing them a second time will allow you to notice things that were overlooked on the first time.

Making the Selection

Generally most Realtors know which home a buyer is going to choose. A good realtor will make sure not to steer buyers and instist that buyers choose a home without the Realtor’s interference. It’s not their decision to make.

However Realtors are required to point out defects and should help buyers feel confident that the home they selected meets the buyer’s search parameters.