Shopping For a New Home Online vs. In-Person

When shopping for a new home you will find tons of resources on the internet to help your search. Many buyers contacting Glass House find their dream home online and reach out wanting to move forward. While that's an excellent first step, there is alot of information about a home that sellers won't provide online and is important to know before committing. In-person visits are great for finding out the truth behind all the positives provided in the listing. In this article we summarized what you can expect to learn when shopping for a home online vs. in-person and what to keep in mind as you shop for your new home!

Shopping For Your New Home Online vs. In-Person

In-Person: True Size and Dimensions of Room 

When searching online for a home you'll most likely find dimensions and photos for each room. However, photos can be very deceiving and some rooms may look much bigger than they actual are when you visit. Professional photographers can easily manipulate the angles of the photograph to make ceilings look higher and rooms look larger. When shopping for a home it's better to visit in order to take real measurements rather than trusting the photos online.

Online: Builder Information, Build Date and Previously Sold Info

Maybe you're interested in buying a new home or an older, more historic home. Either way, online research is a great way to find out the information on a specific home's build date and information on the original builder. You can even find out when the home was last sold through the listings on Zillow or Trulia. Of course, when you are visiting the home for an open house don't forget to ask any build or previous owner related questions to the current owners or seller's agent. 

In-Person: The True "Scents" of a Home 

A home visit is great to find out the truth about what the seller may be hiding from the online marketing information. By shopping online only you won't be able to find out if the home has any odors such as cigarettes or rodents. With a visit to the home you can understand if the rooms have enough natural light and if the walls need to be repainted. Sellers will market all the positives about their home online so it's important to see for yourself if they are all true and what's missing!

Online: Reviews and Information on Nearby Restaurants and Activities

If you visit a home you might walk around and stop by some local restaurants and shops. The seller may even tell you about community activities during your showing. However, a great way to find out the real details and what people are saying about the local hot spots and neighborhood get-togethers is with online research. Reviews and discussions about nearby to-dos are great to get a true understanding of what life would be like if you purchased the home.

In-Person: Safety, Walkability and Neighborhood "Feel"

Online research may tell you the local crime rate and walkability score of the area but to get the true "feel" of these important factors you have to visit the neighborhood. Maybe it says there's a market .3 miles away from the home but when are visiting you find out there are no sidewalks to get there! Crime rates could be reported low but it's important for you and your family to feel safe when you are there. Visiting and walking around the area is the best way to understand if you can picture yourself living in the neighborhood.  

Want To See Every Home on the DC Metro Area Market?

Showing homes to clients when they want to see them is the keystone to our business model. We employ salaried field agents whose primary responsibility is to show our clients homes; evening and weekend showings are typical. Our only requirement is that you have a pre-approval from a local lender of your choice. 

Email us at showings@glasshousere.com and we will respond within minutes with a confirmation time and location!