Home Buying Etiquette when Viewing Homes for Sale

Prospective home buyers have a responsibility during the viewing of homes. They should be careful to abide by some basic rules when viewing homes that are for sale so that the home buying process can run more smoothly for buyers and sellers.

Timekeeping

If you have an appointment for a viewing at 9:30am, but do not arrive until 9:45am do not expect to still view the home. Estate agents have a tight schedule to keep to. It is your responsibility to ensure that you will arrive in good time to view the home. A home that is in high demand could have several other potential home buyers waiting to view the home. Estate agents will not wait around any longer than they have to for an appointment. They will simply move onto the next person. If you cannot keep an appointment, the correct thing to do would be to call the estate agent and either re-schedule the viewing for another time or cancel.

Take Off Your Shoes

Even if you are not accustomed to taking off your shoes before entering someone else's home, it is best to do when viewing a home so that you do not track mud and dirt into the home. Imagine if you are the eighth person who has come to view the house in just one day and no one has removed their shoes. The home can quickly become muddy and not look at its best. Sellers must work hard enough as it is to create the best possible impression of their home so that it will appeal to potential buyers.

Do Not Touch Personal Property

Potential home buyers are naturally interested in the layout of the house, how many bedrooms it has and whether their grandmother's antique oak dresser will fit through the narrow front door. But this natural curiosity of the home should not go any further. Personal property of the owner should not be touched or moved. This is an invasion of privacy and it has nothing to do with the home buying process. Keep the viewing strictly professional and stay focused on the actual fixtures and layout of the home, not the personal property of others.

Do Not Turn Up Unexpectedly

It is inappropriate for potential buyers to turn up at the property unexpectedly. Even if you have settled on the price and are heading towards closing, that does not give you the right to turn up on someone else's doorstep unannounced. This will alarm sellers and put them on edge. Wait until you have signed on the dotted line and the keys to the property are in your hand before you go to the property, unless of course, the visit has been authorised.