Depending on who you listen to or what Internet site you surf it was either 3° or 7° when I went outside to pick up The Washington Post from the end of my driveway. Even though there was no wind, it was c-o-l-d. I could feel the air going through my nose and making it feel kind of funny.
How Cold Affects Showing Homes
In a general way, showing homes in the cold is no different from showing homes in any type of weather. If the home is still occupied by the owner and they agree to have their house shown, you and your Realtor just toodle on over and view it. If it’s a vacant home, your Realtor logs in the appointment with the listing agent or showing service and you go on over.
Still, it means that you really need to bundle up and be prepared for the cold. Many homes that have been vacant for awhile are very cold inside since the heat has been shut off or turned way down for an extended period. Hopefully the owners or the banks, in the case of foreclosed homes, have “winterized” the homes so that water pipes don’t freeze and burst creating flooding that will lead to mold and worse.
It’s also important to think of the “other guy”. The other guy could be your Realtor or, if you’re the Realtor, the other guy could be your client. Don’t leave each other “out in the cold” with the car running or standing around outside waiting. As inconsiderate as this is during nice weather, it’s really bad news during the times when temps are in the teens or below.
More on Vacant Homes
In this market there are lots of homes that are in “short sale” status.
This means that the current owner/Seller still owns the house and is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the property. The problem is, many times, the owner/Seller has walked away from the house. That’s right. They have actually moved out of the house and, quite possibly, mailed the key to the bank. In this case, the houses might not only be cold (they most certainly will be) but they’ll be dark after the sun goes down since the owner/Seller has probably stopped paying the electricity bill, too.
My guess is that if you’re looking at homes in this weather than you are a serious buyer who really wants to buy a home. If you’re selling your home during these winter months it means you really want to sell your home. The important thing to remember is to:
- bundle up,
- come prepared with a flashlight and
- your notepad.
If you’re interested in seeing a home - in any weather - just shoot me an e-mail or give me a call at 240-417-9100.