What to Actually Look For at an Open House

I host open houses every week, and I can tell within minutes which visitors are going to make smart offers. It's not about experience — it's about knowing where to look. Paint and staging are what sellers want you to see. Here's what I look at instead, with my contractor hat on.

Outside, before you even go in

Look up: how do the roof lines and shingles look? Wavy ridges and curling shingles are a re-roof conversation. Look down: does the ground slope toward or away from the foundation? Water management is the cheapest thing to get right during construction and the most expensive thing to fix after.

The unglamorous rooms tell the truth

Open the electrical panel door and read the brand and breaker layout — some legacy panels are insurance headaches. Find the water heater and furnace and check their dates. Run the faucets while you're in the bathroom anyway; water pressure and drain speed take ten seconds to test and hint at the plumbing's health.

Doors, windows, floors

Do interior doors latch cleanly, or do they rub? Do floors dip near the middle of rooms? Houses move, and small symptoms are usually fine — but clusters of them in one corner of the house are worth a closer look before you write an offer.

Then, yes, enjoy the kitchen

None of this means ignoring how a home feels — you're going to live there. It means confirming the house behind the staging deserves the feeling. Come to one of my open houses and I'll happily walk you through any of this in person. Bring questions; I like the hard ones.