What Actually Happens at a Home Showing (So You're Not Guessing)

If you've never bought a home before, walking into your first showing can feel like showing up to a test you didn't study for. It's not. Here's what actually happens, start to finish.

Before we go

I'll send you the listing details ahead of time so you're not seeing the square footage and price for the first time standing in the kitchen. If there's anything specific you want me to check on — water pressure, cell signal, road noise — tell me before we go, not after we've left.

The walkthrough itself

We take our time. There's no rule that says you have to keep moving — if a room is interesting to you, stand in it as long as you want. I'll point out things you might not think to check yourself: signs of water damage, how old the big-ticket items are (roof, HVAC, water heater), and anything that would come up in an inspection anyway.

Questions worth asking out loud

• How long has this been on the market, and has the price moved?
• Why is the seller moving? (Sometimes this matters for negotiation, sometimes it doesn't — but it's worth asking)
• What's included in the sale versus what the sellers are taking with them?

After we leave

Don't decide in the driveway. Give it a few hours, or overnight if you can. If it's still on your mind the next morning, that tells you something. If you've forgotten which house it even was, that tells you something too.

What I'm actually doing while you look

While you're picturing your furniture in the living room, I'm mentally running comps, thinking about how this compares to what else is on the market at this price point, and noting anything that would affect your offer strategy. You don't have to ask — I'll tell you what I'm seeing, good and bad.