Open House Etiquette
Is it acceptable to pull out your digital camera and start snapping pictures at an open house? What has been the community’s experience?
Is it acceptable to pull out your digital camera and start snapping pictures at an open house?
What has been the community’s experience?
those pictures will be invaluable in decision-making and budgeting and planning, all the more so if it needs any work. it’s amazing how few details one can remember accurately when walking through an open house. the only thing I apologized for was inevitably getting other people in the photos. Obviously, if there is an occupied rental and the tenants are there when you visit, I’d ask permission first.
Just don’t pee in the corner to mark your territory or lick the doorknobs to claim the place as yours.
I don’t see why not, either, but I always ask the broker, to be polite. Since I’m at open houses as a tourist, they are for my own personal files, Only once did I have a broker ask me not to post them on line, without first getting her permission, but that was after she found out I write for a blog.
I would think, in general, brokers would be pleased. It means you are seriously thinking about the house.
I’ve always had a camera and tape measure when I have looked for houses/apartments.
ha. as long you arent posting it. i lived in an apartment once where the landlord lived in london and he asked me if i could host a 2 hour open house, just one day. ugh. the apartment was FLOODED with more brokers than people looking to rent it, like completely packed. i hate to tie my dog to the radiator!!! anyway, i wind up seeing pictures of my dog that same day on craigslist :-/ advertising it as a pet friendly rental blah blah blah. i replied to the brokers ads and wound up getting a nasty reply saying “stop haranguing my employees” and i was like well take the pictures of my dog and apt down. besides it was a for rent by owner, not broker!! these people were SO scuzzy and when i tried to kick them out they wouldn’t budge and ignored me!
*rob*
Yes, and I used to always start and end a series with an outside shot of the house/building to help keep track.
Laser tape measure is another useful open house tool. Its comforting to confirm that when it comes to floorplan measurements, the R.E. agent and seller are lying bastards just like everyone else.
Saw someone doing just that this weekend at an open house and I thought it was kind of odd. If I were the seller, I certainly wouldn’t appreciate someone having pictures of the contents of my house… It’s one thing to have photos you approved up on the broker’s site and something else to have some weirdo taking pictures of your closet contents.
My etiquette question is: is it ok to use the bathroom? Sunday afternoons can be long…
I would never go house-hunting WITHOUT a camera!! A realtor should be glad to see you taking pictures. Snap the things you like about the place, as well as the mechanicals, cracks, roof, anything that could prove costly down the road, and show them to friends and family later to get extra (or more objective) opinions.
I also recommend taking a flashlight and a tape-measure, even for a first viewing, just in case.
I can’t imagine why not.