Your open house checklist.

Before you leave

• Check the listing: asking price, condo fees or property taxes, and lot size
• Look up the neighbourhood and the drive or transit trip to work
• Bring your phone for photos, a measuring tape, and this sheet
• Decide on your top three must haves before you walk in
• If you have an agent, tell them which open houses you plan to visit

First impression

• Street: traffic, noise, parking, and how the neighbours keep their homes
• Roof, eaves and downspouts: missing shingles, sagging or overflow stains
• Grading: the ground should slope away from the house
• Driveway, walkway and front steps: cracks, heaving or loose railings
• Windows and doors: rot, fogged glass or gaps around the frames

Inside basics

• Age of the furnace, air conditioner and water heater (look for the labels)
• Electrical panel: breakers, not fuses, and any handwritten labels
• Run the taps and flush a toilet: water pressure and how fast it drains
• Open closets and cupboards: storage and any signs of pests
• Floors: slopes, soft spots or squeaks
• Natural light and cell signal in the rooms you will use most

Smell and moisture

• Musty or damp smell, especially in the basement
• Stains on ceilings, around windows or under sinks
• White powder or tide lines on basement walls
• Strong air fresheners, candles or fresh paint in one spot only
• A dehumidifier or sump pump running: ask why

Questions to ask the host

Learn as much as you can about each home before you visit. Then, when you ask these questions, you will see how well the host agent really knows the property, whether you already know the answer or not.

• Why are the sellers moving, and is there a preferred closing date?
• How long has it been listed, and has the price changed?
• Is there an offer date, or are offers being reviewed as they come in?
• Is there a pre listing inspection or a status certificate (if a condo) available?
• What are the average monthly utility costs?
• What is included: appliances, window coverings, light fixtures?
• Any renovations, permits, or known issues the sellers have shared?

Ask, listen, and write the answers down. Answer as little as you can about yourself.

Score the visit

Circle 1 to 5 for each, right after you leave, before the next house blurs it.