House Hunting Weekend Itinerary

Searching for your dream home usually takes a lot of time and patience. You may visit several properties before you find "the one." The process can be so time-consuming, in fact, many home buyers neglect to scout around other part of the community as well. While it is important to do a thorough search for good homes, it's just as crucial to find out what you can about the surrounding area - especially if you're new in town.

Here's a sample weekend itinerary, designed to help you plan an effective home search strategy.

Friday evening - Go over the plan
* Print information/photos for reference

Make a list of the properties you'll be visiting over the weekend. Print out information sheets on each one, including photos. Make a note to bring along a camera of your own, so you can have your own photos to refer back to later.

Saturday - Let the hunt begin!
* Be organized
* Take notes and/or photos
* Inspect the neighborhood/surrounding areas

Depending on your appointments, you might be getting an early start, or you could have a few hours to kill before setting foot in the first listing. If you have some spare time, don't just sit around your home (or hotel if you've travelled to house hunt) waiting. Go ahead and drive out to the neighborhood. Snoop around the community by driving through the whole neighborhood (not just the street the listing is on) and check out nearby businesses. Are there any nice stores nearby? How close is the nearest gas station? What's the traffic like? These are all things to take note of.

Saturday evening - Recap
* Go over your notes/photos
* Get another person's perspective

Review the listings you saw earlier and the photos and/or notes you made for each one. If you are house hunting with a spouse or roommate, be sure to include them in your review. They might have noticed something you missed. If you have more listings to see tomorrow, do the same as you did the night before. Print out information on each listing to bring along with you.

Remember, it's best not to spread yourself too thin by squeezing in a lot of viewings in one day. This could make you feel rushed at each showing and could hamper your ability to make a good decision.

Sunday - Rinse, repeat
* Be organized
* Take notes and/or photos
* Inspect the neighborhood/surrounding areas

If you have more listings to see, repeat what you did the day before. Allow yourself as much time as possible at each listing and be sure to some scouting around the block. Does it look like the neighbors are usually home during the day? Are there kids outside playing? What condition are the other homes in?

Sunday evening - Review
*Focus on narrowing down your choices
*Ask your agent to schedule second showings

Compile the information you've gathered from each of the showings you attended over the weekend. Try to eliminate the ones you weren't that impressed with, and narrow down your list to a few that you would like to arrange a second showing for. Once you've done this, call your real estate agent and give them the addresses of the homes that really stuck with you. If none of them did, it might be time to plan another house hunting weekend - which isn't the end of the world! After all, wouldn't you rather take a little longer to find the perfect home than be rushed into a decision you could later regret?

Remember, every home buyer is different. The suggested strategy above is meant to give you an idea of how to make the most of your time and is by no means one siz fits all. Feel free to modify as needed.

About the Author:
Steph Medeiros is a marketing professional who helps mortgage companies promote their brands and products, such as Garland mortgage loans and Plano mortgage loans, online.