Looking through the eyes of a Realtor…

I had an appointment today to go look at a house that I might list and the owner called to say that the house is a mess right now and asked if I could look past that. Of course, I replied, I’ll be looking through the eyes of a Realtor at the features of the house and how it compares to other similar houses. That got me to thinking about that phrase “looking through the eyes of a Realtor” and what that means.

I’ll admit that since I’ve become a bit more experienced as a Realtor I look at homes that I enter differently, even if I’m at someone’s home as a guest. It’s a thing that one can’t turn off and on. Of course I’ll notice if there’s stuff laying all around or the place needs a good cleaning, but I’ll also be looking to see if it looks cluttered – too much furniture and stuff all over. I’ll glance at the windows to see if they look newer. I’ll check out the flooring to see if it needs cleaning or replacement or maybe re-finishing. I’ll look at the ceiling and the walls for evidence of water stains or settling issues and tape and nail pops. I’ll admire the crown molding, if it’s there, or the coved ceilings and arched doorways, if it’s an older home. I’ll check out the woodwork, if it’s a historic home.

In addition to all of those things, I’ll be making mental notes about the room sizes and the layout and mentally comparing those to other similar homes. I’ll likely have noticed any exterior maintenance that needs to be done or issues that need to be dealt with by the owner. Inside, I’ll look into the kitchen to see if it has been updated or if it needs updating. The same is true of the bathrooms. If I’m there on a pre-listing appointment, I’ll probably ask to see the basement too, so that I can check out the mechanicals and the electrical and plumbing to see if they need updating or pose any issues.

There are also lots of things that I don’t “see”, which I’ve discovered over time is as much a function of looking as a man as anything. I don’t see lots of the “cute” things that my female counterparts see when they go through the same house. I may notice a kitchen countertop that could be replaced, while the women agents notice the cute decorating and nice curtains in the same kitchen. Sometime we get back from our weekly tour through new listings and it’s as if we went through different homes. I’ll say, did you notice that the electrical box is still fuses or that sure looked like and older furnace; while my female counterparts will be talking about the nice color in the dining room and the cute way the children’s rooms were decorated. Neither of us is right or wrong, we’re just looking at the home through different Realtor eyes. Having that second and different view was one of the valuable things about the partnership that I had for a while with a female associate. Now, I have to solicit that second opinion from other, female agents.

So there really is a difference in how a Realtor, even a friend who happens to be a Realtor, will look at your house. Don’t be offended they can’t help it. I can’t turn off my Realtor eyes just because I’m visiting a friend or relative, but I promise I won’t ask to see your basement or open your electrical box to check that out. I can’t turn it off, but I can control it.