We’ve talked before on this blog about preparing to host an open house when you’re trying to sell your home. But how do you prepare when you’re about to attend an open house, interested in buying it? Yes, there are tips that you can take with you to make the most out of your open house experience; and if you do, you’ll be one step closer to finding your dream home.

First, make sure you bring your real estate agent with you, and that they have as much information about the home as possible. You can be sure the seller will have their agent there representing them, and it’s in your best interests to have yours there too. The seller, or their agent, is also likely to have copies of the listing for you to look over, and that will have the basic information regarding the home. However there’s also usually other information your agent can find out beforehand, and that information could lead to questions you need to ask while at the open house.

In addition to your real estate agent, also make sure you bring your camera with you (yes, the one on your smartphone is fine) and a pad of paper. Pictures will help you remember key things that you loved or hated about any particular home – and that can be useful when you’re visiting home after home after home, and they all begin to look the same.

You also though, want to make sure you bring along a notepad and a pen, for those things that a camera can’t capture. “Remember to ask about electrical on inspection,” or “Chandelier conditional in offer?” are all things that you may think about during the open house, but not necessarily want to ask with a crowd of buyers around. And also not things that can easily be caught on film.

Lastly, know what you want going in, even if that means searching through some design magazines to get an idea of what that is. You will see a lot of different layouts, designs, appliances, and other features, and you may end up loving all of them – which will only put you in a tougher position in the end. Make a list of priorities, and compare homes against that list, rather than making one as you go along.

Attending an open house can be very exciting, and it’s all too easy to get swept up in it all. Bring in someone who deals with the business every day and is looking out for your best interests, and make sure you take careful note of things you see along the way, and whether or not they stack up against your list of priorities that you’ve made well ahead of time!