When you look at a house, be aware of what time it is. For example, if it’s after work in November, chances are that it’s dark outside. That means you won’t have the opportunity to get a good feel for the outdoor spaces, privacy from neighbors, how the surrounding homes and properties are maintained, etc. Another time-sensitive consideration is traffic. Not only the regular morning and evening rush hour (and how those headlights might illuminate your living room or bedroom), but what if there is a school a quarter mile away? All that bus and pick-up/drop off traffic may effect your decision. Then there are seasonal concerns: in summer, when the leaves are all on the trees, you may not realize that for most of the year, the ugly water tower is very visible or that there is very little visual screening between neighbors. Don’t forget to consider snow removal as well–something more likely to come to mind if you’re seeing that house with the 600-ft long driveway when there’s snow on it than in April.
It’s not necessarily feasible to see a home you’re considering purchasing at different times of year, but I do think you should come at different times of day. I never recommend that anyone put an offer in on a house they’ve only seen once (except in very unusual circumstances), so if you’re going to take a second look, see if you can vary the time of day. Pay attention to where the sun is in the morning and afternoon, if that’s important to you. Decide if the street traffic is an issue. Remember, there are lots of things you can change about a given house, but some of the concerns I’ve mentioned are things you can’t change. That’s why I encourage you to spend a little extra time and pay a little closer attention to them.
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