Viewing homes online vs in person

Generally speaking, very few buyers won't make an offer on a home without actually visiting it, but they can often get attached before seeing it. We always advise our clients to not be impulsive, to be EXCITED, but not too attached, until you see the home for yourself.

In reality, it's hard to gauge room size through photos, it's worthwhile to visit a home in person and take in the size yourself if the measurements of specific rooms aren't available online, we recommend that you bring a tape measure when you are out viewing homes. 

Lighting

Real Estate Pictures often provide a warm, bright, and inviting look to homes, cameras are able to draw in more light through longer exposure which can skew what the lighting is like typically.

In person you get a better feeling for natural light, and how bright or lack thereof a home can be. Consider  both the exterior and interior lighting of the home, allowing you to gauge what warm summer nights will entail in your backyard and how much daytime exposure your home gets. A tip for clients, ask the agent what direction the home faces, this can allow you to gauge the type of sun exposure your home will get throughout the day.

Details

Flawless Photographs 

Photos taken by professional photographers will highlight all the features, standout rooms, and finishes, that are intended to get you to visit the property. Would you expect photographers to take pictures of a leaky faucet if you were selling your home? A toilette that constantly runs, won't show up in photos either, and while some flaws in a home may be missed or unable to be seen by the naked eye, having a great home inspector will allow you to detect major home issues that sometimes can't be seen (in photos or in person)

Spotting the good is easy, what about the bad and the ugly? 

On the flip side, photographs taken for a home will lack one thing (flaws) very rarely will a photographer or agent take photos of holes in the wall, leaks, or cracks in the tiles. Photos are intended to be advertisements, and the goal of any great real estate photographer is to capture the BEST things a property has to offer. Don't be surprised, or offended, if you enter a home and it's not exactly what you expected, it's important to remember that sellers aren't typically trying to hide these issues, and sellers are compelled to disclose any material latent defects in a home. 

THE RIGHT ADVISOR

While many homes can look as good in person, as they do in the photos you see online, it's still important that you see them in person and have the right advisor on your side. From negotiations, to local knowledge, an experienced and talented REALTOR® helping you in your search also needs to be transparent, upfront, and honest. Our Re/Max First | Real Estate Partner agents will not only point out the great pros of a home, but the cons as well, allowing YOU to make an informed decision!

Smells

Looks Inviting (In Photographs)  

Cozy Fireplaces, candles throughout, flowers on the counter, you can practically smell the fresh baked cookies in the oven.

Smells.... Exciting? 

In person, that may not be the case, while smells are an easier overall fix. Smoking, pets, and other odours could have you second guessing a home that you fell in love with online, something to consider before you start dreaming about decorating a home while browsing online.

Oasis

The Beauty  

The Calgary home you're looking at looks like an oasis, pristine, perfectly staged, no chaos, no clutter,  the home is in perfect condition, no holes, or damage, the back yard is flawless, you've found your dream home! Right?

The Beast

 Unfortunately one of your neighbours runs the cities only local horse farm, your street is packed with traffic, neighbours yards are filled with... Everything. Planes flying over every minute, you name it! All these things and more that won't show up in pictures! Your REALTOR should be able to thwart a lot of these issues by advising you of neighborhoods that fit, or don't fit what's acceptable for you in specific neighbourhoods. Every street is different though and problematic neighbours, heavy traffic, and many other external variables that are out of your control simply wont show up in pictures, and viewing the home in person is your only option to ensure the area (along with the home) is the right fit for you.

BAD PICTURES

NEXT! That's what you say in your head when you're scrolling through Calgary homes on REPYYC.COM & the first picture is dark, & upside down. We agree that homes should be presented at their finest, & we ALWAYS make them shine. But not all agents take pro photos / videos and before you skip over, consider you could be skipping a gem in person. 

Read More Calgary Real Estate Blogs by checking out these featured articles.