The Best Time to Shop
You have selected the subdivision. You have
reviewed the list of homes in your price range. Now you want to "look
inside" and, hopefully, make an offer and buy one. So, you call your
Realtor and schedule some time for Saturday afternoon. Or, maybe after work.
Right?
Wrong! Saturday may be your day off and
"everybody knows Realtors work nights and weekends" (don't they?),
but Saturday and after work isn't usually the best time to view houses and
make offers. Wow! Strange new information. Can this be true?
Saturday (or Sunday) and evenings aren't good? Why not?
There are many reasons but let's start with the
basics. First, it is better and easier to view a home when the sellers (and
kids) are not there and that is usually weekdays, 9 to 5. Second, your offer
gets submitted to the seller's listing agent who usually handles paperwork
during weekdays, 9 to 5. Third, the listing agent will contact your lender to
verify that you actually have the financing you said you had. Lenders work
weekdays, 9 to 5.
If the basics don't convince you then consider
this. Lots of other people also think weekends are the time to look and make
offers. So, an offer submitted on the weekend has a much greater possibility
of arriving at the same time as another competing offer. Do you really want to
be competing with another buyer?
The best approach is to consider the house hunt
and offer submission process for what it really is - a serious business
decision. Take the necessary time off from work and go about it in a business
like manner during business hours. After all, you wouldn't expect your doctor
or lawyer to see you only on Saturday afternoons, would you?
First Published 5/25/00 (1/4)
