The popularity of virtual home visits rose at the height of COVID for safety and convenience. However, when you’re searching for a house, sometimes that online tour can’t provide a true feel for your next home.
An open house allows you to step inside the home and explore. Many homeowners share that they knew they found the right home because of the way they felt when they walked through the door.
If you’re having trouble finding a house with the right feel, an open house in Charlottesville, Va., might be the best fit for you.
How to Find an Open House
An open house might be the key to your next home! But how do you find an open house?
The easiest and most efficient way to access open houses is through a local realtor. A realtor working in the area where you are house hunting knows the neighborhoods and which homes are offering open houses.
Your realtor also has a wealth of information at their fingertips through the MLS Search, or Multiple Listing Service. The MLS is a tool for participating realtors to collaborate on buying and selling homes for their clients. The listings include which homes have open houses scheduled.
Searching on Google or using social media also can help you to find leads on open houses in your area. Use a search term like “open houses in Charlottesville VA” or “open houses near me” for a list of upcoming options.
Finally, if you’re able, drive around. Taking the time to drive through a neighborhood you like will give you a sense of the area and help you to see signs posted for open houses in that neighborhood.
The frequency of open houses depends on a few factors. It may or may not be popular in the area you are considering. It also may depend on the season, as poor weather won’t yield good traction for the event.
Why Visit An Open House?
The “open house” concept might feel old fashioned, but it’s a method that works.
Open houses provide an opportunity to casually walk through a home and get a feel for the property. It’s a more relaxed situation with less pressure for potential homeowners, as they are viewing the property with others.
When you attend an open house, you have the opportunity to walk through the property
yourself. You can rely on your own experience and inspection of the home that you can’t get through photos.
It also gives you the chance to speak with a realtor or homeowner and ask questions directly as they come up.
Not every open house will yield a home purchase, and that’s ok! It’s not wasted time. If you walk through during an open house and discover the home really isn’t what you want, it’s still a beneficial experience.
Here are some things you can learn from an open house:
● You might not prefer the style or layout of that type of home, so you can check similar
homes off your list.
● You can determine what home features you need vs. what features you want.
● You now have a connection with the person showing the home and can ask if they have
other homes that might fit your preferences.
Attending an open house can help you further refine your home preferences list as you continue your home search.
Attend An Open House Today
Open houses are a valuable experience in all home-buying journeys. Start working with a local realtor today to learn more about open houses in your area.
Contact the Denise Ramey Team to learn about these opportunities and to help with buying your next home.
