When touring potential homes, buyers often want to ask plenty of questions and tend to make numerous comments about their likes and dislikes in each home.

Having personal opinions on each property about your preferences is, of course, completely expected and normal.

However, this could work against you throughout the purchasing process. 

Nearly 1 in 3 vendors across North America are now setting up cameras in their homes and can see how you react to every feature and hear all your comments.

This rarely works in the favour of buyers, particularly when it comes to negotiations.

If a seller is aware that you absolutely love their home, they may be inclined to play ‘hard ball’ during the offer process and may not be as flexible with requested repairs and such.

On the opposite end, sellers will also be aware of anything you do not like about their home and could feel offended or hurt by your comments, in turn, making them less likely to cooperate with you throughout the negotiation process. 

Buying and selling a home can be extremely emotional for many people. While many feel this is simply a business transaction, for others it’s much more. Selling your home can bring up many memories and leave sellers feeling guilt or even sellers remorse, whereas for buyers may be envisioning creating special moments for years to come, these feelings tend to deter people from making logical decisions.

For these reasons, it’s best to save your questions and comments until after the tour and speak to your agent about any concerns you have once you’ve left the home.

We suggest taking notes in your phone or bring a pen and paper so you can keep track of any questions or comments you may have.

Once you’ve left the property, you can freely ask your agent about any of your concerns and speak to your partner/co-buyer openly about your thoughts on each home.

Asking general questions is always encouraged, however, we recommend taking the conversation outside when it comes to specifics about the home and your preferences.