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Top Tips For House Hunting In The Winter Months

13 November 2020

Cody Day

If you ask people what time of year they would prefer to shop for a house, most will tell you that they'd rather shop in the summer or spring. But sometimes, you don't have the luxury of choosing when to hunt for a home. Sometimes you have to house hunt in winter. In spite of the snow and cold, these tips can help you find the perfect home.

Scrutinize houses closely before going to see them.

In the summer, going to see a few houses that end up being a poor fit may not be a big deal. But in the winter, it takes more effort to see a home, so you really don't want to tour ones that have no hope of fitting your needs. Do your due diligence to make sure a home offers all of the features you need before you go to see it. Consider making a list of must-have features, and then refuse to see homes that don't have those features.

Don't book showings more than a few days out.

If possible, try not to book your showings more than three or four days out so you can have a better idea of what the weather will be when you do go out house hunting. If you book a week or more out, you won't have as good of an idea of what the weather will be, and you might end up trying to see homes during a snowstorm.

Plan on driving with your real estate agent.

Some home buyers prefer to drive separately from their agent to see homes. Others prefer to ride in the same vehicle as their real estate agent. The second strategy is definitely better in the winter. If you ride together, you don't have to worry about parking two vehicles in what might be a snowy driveway. With snow on the roads and more delays, you won't have to worry about waiting around for your real estate agent to arrive — or vice versa.

Dress for the outdoors.

Remember, part of looking at homes is looking at the exterior and the yard. Make sure you dress accordingly. Wear boots, a warm coat, gloves, and a hat so that you're not tempted to cut your analysis of the exterior short because you are cold.

With the tips above, you should have better luck house hunting in the winter. Reach out to a real estate agent for more tips and advice.

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