Home Buying Process
What to Look for During a Home Tour
Your Roadmap to a Confident Home Purchase
Whether you’re buying for the first time or the fifth, having a clear understanding of the home buying process makes all the difference.
My comprehensive Home Buyer Overview walks you through every stage—from financing and offer strategy to inspections, closing, and beyond—so you can navigate your purchase with clarity, confidence, and fewer surprises.
When touring homes, it’s easy to get distracted by finishes and fixtures—but it’s the things you don’t immediately notice that can impact your long-term satisfaction and wallet. In this video, Adam shares practical advice on what to look for beyond the surface, helping buyers make more informed decisions before making an offer. It’s essential viewing for any serious home shopper preparing for in-person showings.
What You’ll Learn in This Video:
Why paying attention to smells in basements can save you from costly mold issues
What ceiling stains and patch jobs might reveal about past water damage
How to spot signs of settlement on brick homes
Why a worn roof could lead to major repairs sooner than you think
The role of showings vs. professional home inspections in the buying process
What’s on the market now? Customize your home search.
Ready to start the process? Schedule a brief conversation.
Adam Tabaka (00:00):
Alright. If you’re like most home buyers when you’re out on showings, you’re going to be paying attention to many of the aesthetic qualities of a given property. Are the light fixtures updated? Is the kitchen updated? Are the bathrooms updated? But there are other functional substantive issues to pay attention to.
(00:20):
When you’re in the basement of a home, be aware of any moldy, musty type smells that you might encounter. Mold mitigation is not a simple process and it’s not inexpensive either. As far as the exterior of the home is concerned, take a look at the roof. Does it look like it’s near the end of its life? Check out the awnings. The doorframes window frames, and if it’s a brick home, look for stair-step cracks that could indicate settlement issues.
(00:49):
And my number one recommendation as you’re touring homes is to look up at the ceilings. If you see evidence that portions of the drywall have been patched and replaced, or that the ceiling has been painted several times, there’s a good chance that there was a leak at some point. That doesn’t necessarily mean there still is a leak, but it’s worth investigating. And if you’re seeing this on the top floor of the home, there’s a decent chance that this isn’t a plumbing issue, but possibly a roofing issue.
(01:21):
None of this advice is meant to take the place of a home inspection. Regardless of the due diligence that you do at your showings, you should still insist upon a home inspection as part of the purchase process. But being cognizant of these types of issues can help you make the right decision on which home to place an offer on.
(01:41):
Want to learn more? Check out my Home Buyer Overview below. Ready to start the process? Give me a call or schedule time below. Until next time, take it easy.
Your Roadmap to a Confident Home Purchase
Whether you’re buying for the first time or the fifth, having a clear understanding of the home buying process makes all the difference.
My comprehensive Home Buyer Overview walks you through every stage—from financing and offer strategy to inspections, closing, and beyond—so you can navigate your purchase with clarity, confidence, and fewer surprises.