What Should I Look For When I Tour My Next Home?

Look past the paint and the furniture, and check how the home will work on an ordinary day: the walk from the car to the door, the main-floor bedroom and bathroom, the laundry, the storage, and the snow. Save the deeper questions about the roof, the furnace, and the water heater for the inspection.

I am Delia Bayna, a REALTOR with eXp Realty in Salt Lake City, Utah, and a Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES). Touring is the fun part, and it goes better when you walk in with a plan.

Bring the short list of must-haves you made when you thought about how you want your days to look. I describe how to make one in how to choose where to live next. Three or four true must-haves are enough.

Bring a tape measure for the spots that matter to you, such as the wall where your bed goes or the corner for your favorite chair. Bring your phone for photos and a notepad for what you notice. If you can, bring one person you trust as a second set of eyes. They will see things you miss while you are picturing the holidays.

Begin before you open the front door. Park where you would park every day and walk to the door the way you would with groceries.

• Count the steps, and look for railings and lighting.
• Notice the slope of the driveway and whether it gets sun in winter or sits in shade, where ice lasts longer.
• Ask where the snow goes when the drive is cleared, and who clears it if there is an HOA.
• Look at the yard and ask yourself how much of it you want to care for.

In Salt Lake City, picture that same walk on a dark January evening. A home that feels easy in November can feel very different after a storm. I go through why the steps matter so much in whether you need a one-level home.

Once inside, walk through a normal day instead of admiring the staging. Where do you set your keys and the mail? Where do the groceries land?

Then check the rooms you use every day. Is the bedroom on the main floor, and is there a full bathroom close to it? Look at the shower. A tub you have to step over is harder than a walk-in shower, and it is worth noticing whether there is room for grab bars. In the kitchen, see whether the dishes you use every day would fit within reach or end up on a shelf you need a stool for.

Find the washer and dryer. Find the light switches at the top and bottom of any stairs. Stand still in each room for a moment and listen for road noise, or for neighbors if it is a condo or townhome.

Last, look for storage. Ask yourself where the holiday decorations, the vacuum, and the snow shovel will live. Moving out of a house with a basement makes this the question people forget most.

You do not need to judge the roof or the furnace on a tour. You do want to ask about them. Ask what the seller has shared about the age of the roof, the furnace, the water heater, and the windows. In Utah, a furnace works hard all winter, so its age is worth knowing early.

While you are looking, find the water heater. In Utah, water heaters are supposed to be strapped for earthquakes, and it takes two seconds to see whether this one is. Ask whether the home has been tested for radon.

The real answers come from the inspection. In Utah, after your offer is accepted, you have a Due Diligence period, usually seven to ten days, with the exact deadline set in your contract. Use it to have the home inspected and decide whether to keep going. My post on what Utah home inspectors check shows what they look for. The full order of steps is on my how we help you buy page.

Write your notes the same day, while the homes are still clear in your mind. Label your photos with the address. If a home makes your short list, go back a second time at a different time of day, and drive from there to your family, your doctor, and your favorite store.

If the home has an HOA, add the questions from what to ask the HOA before you buy to your list before you write an offer.

Once we are working together, I call and email every Friday, whether there is news or not. During a search, the Friday call is a good time to go over what you saw that week and what you would change about the next tour. My downsizing page shows how I plan your sale and your next home together.

What should I look for when I tour a home as a downsizer?

How the home works on an ordinary day: the steps from the car to the door, a bedroom and full bathroom on the main floor, the laundry, the storage, and how it handles snow.

How many times should I tour a home before making an offer?

If you can, at least twice, at different times of day. A second visit shows you the light, the noise, and the drive you missed the first time.

Should I bring someone with me?

Yes, if you can. A second person notices things you miss while you are picturing your life there.

What can't I see on a tour?

What is inside the walls, the condition of the roof up close, and how well the furnace and water heater are working. That is what the inspection is for.

This article is general information and is not legal advice. Your purchase contract sets your deadlines, and an inspector, not a tour, tells you the condition of a home.