While visiting open houses unrepresented by an agent can be fun for folks just beginning to think about buying a home, or for curious neighbors who wonder how their home would stack up against the one for sale, it’s not a good idea for the serious home buyer.
Why not?
First – the friendly agent at the open house is working for the seller, not you. They are looking out for the seller’s best interests, not yours.
Second – it’s a very inefficient use of your time. Why visit a bunch of homes that don’t meet your needs, on someone else’s time schedule? If you were working with your own agent, they would find the best houses that fit your parameters, and maybe they’d even preview them for you, saving you a ton of time.
Third – you might miss out on the best homes. Yes, the real estate market is changing here in the Denver-Boulder front range area. The best homes (the ones that are priced right for condition and location) go fast. If you’re waiting for the weekend, then checking out only the homes that are open, you may have missed that just-right property, which came on the market on Monday and was under contract on Wednesday.
I’m not ‘down’ on open houses. Sometimes I hold my own listings open, if the seller wants me to. In fact, there’s a nation-wide open house day coming up (April 28-29). It could be fun to get out and see what’s for sale in your town. I’m just saying, for the serious home buyer with a good real estate agent, visiting open houses should not be your first choice for finding your new home!
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I write posts on real estate issues and local events in the Denver metro area, especially those *communities between Denver and Boulder, as a public service. My hope is to give people an idea of the ‘flavor’ of our community, in case they’re new or moving to the Denver area.
I am a residential real estate agent, happily helping folks buy a house or sell a house in the beautiful and friendly *suburbs northwest of Denver.
*Arvada, Broomfield, Lafayette, Louisville, Superior, Westminster; also Thornton, Golden, Wheat Ridge, Northglen, Lakewood
Read more about Arvada Colorado, a historic small town between Denver and Boulder.
Find Homes for Sale, no Matter Who Listed Them, at Dream House Hunting.
Gardeners might enjoy my posts about gardening in Denver to Boulder’s front range.
Copyright © 2012 Joetta Fort, Broker, The DiGiorgio Group
Someone asked me the question, “How can I get the best deal when buying a home?” I’ve already written 

.



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