By Anessa V. Cohen

Hard to believe, but here we are in the new year of 2017! I have not gotten used to looking at the number 2017 as a year that is real as opposed to a year far in the future–but I’d better get used to it real fast, since 2017 is the number I will now have to write on all my checks if I want to keep my checkbook balanced. I have hardly gotten used to the years starting with 20 instead of 19, which goes to show that when you are stuck on a number it is very hard to change your comfort zone.

One thing that doesn’t change, though,  is human nature. People are people and sometimes do things without quite thinking them through. They usually mean no harm, but are just not considering how their actions affect the folks that they are doing it to.

I thought I might take a moment today in this new week of 2017 (gotta get used to that number!) to write about a few things that buyers who are viewing properties for sale might consider before walking in to look at a house.

The first thought I want to mention with all sincerity is to please remember that when a house is on the market, usually someone lives there, has precious things there that are important to them, and always deserves respect and courtesy from every would-be buyer who comes in to view their home. If you remember this thought before walking in to any house, you will always do the right thing!

  • Walk into a house being shown to you as a respectful party. If you are talking on a cell phone from the minute you arrive until you leave, there is no way you can view the house properly, you probably will not even remember how it looked when you leave, and it is rude!
  • Drinks and food are great when you are sitting in your den or rec room watching TV or having a party. They are not appropriate for bringing into a seller’s house that you are viewing for a possible purchase, especially when walking through the house where drinks can spill and food can scatter. Please leave all drinks and food in the car.
  • As you walk through the house and look in the different rooms, it is not appropriate to pick up and handle photos that are displayed, sifting through the various photos to see if you know anybody. To begin with, you are taking up time that is supposed to be used for viewing the house, not the seller’s photographs. And a buyer walking through the house should not be going through a seller’s private photos.
  • When you come to see a house with children in tow, an additional effort should be made to ensure that your children are monitored as they walk through the seller’s home. Small children should either be carried or held by the hand as you walk through the house, and older children should be instructed to stay together with parents and not wander around on their own. Again, this is the seller’s home, not a museum where all parties can wander where and when they choose!
  • If your children have been eating something, before you bring them into the house for a showing, make sure their hands have been washed, so whatever they were eating does not end up on the seller’s furniture or walls.
  • As you go through the various rooms, there might be rooms with toys and games belonging to the seller’s children. Please make sure your children do not move or open and play with these toys to entertain themselves while you finish viewing the house. Again, these are personal items that should not be touched by those viewing the house, and this must be respected.
  • We are now going into winter and tough weather. If you are viewing a house on a day with snow, ice, or rain, please be prepared to remove your shoes or boots in the entry before proceeding with a viewing of a house.
  • As you go through a house, you might encounter secondary exterior doors such as patio doors, back or side doors, garage doors, etc. Do not automatically go and unlock any of these doors unless you ask the agent first. You never know what safeguards a homeowner puts on any door, and you should not take it upon yourself to open anything without first getting permission.
  • Last but not least, please do not open pantry and refrigerator doors and then proceed to do an inventory of what kinds of food the seller has in each one. Since they will not be leaving you any of these items, it is really unnecessary to figure out the types of food the seller likes!

Anessa Cohen lives in Cedarhurst and is a licensed real-estate broker and a licensed N.Y.S. mortgage broker with over 20 years of experience, offering full-service residential and commercial real-estate services (Anessa V Cohen Realty) and mortgaging services (FM Home Loans) in the Five Towns and throughout the tri-state area. She can be reached at 516-569-5007 or via her website, www.AVCrealty.com. Readers are encouraged to send questions or comments to anessa@AVCrealty.com.

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