Okay, we're house hunting today. 🏡

We pull up to the house and...

Ohhhh, this one's CUTE.

Great curb appeal.

Fresh paint.

Pretty front door.

The landscaping looks good.

You already love it and we haven't even gotten out of the car yet. 😂

We walk inside.

Beautiful floors.

Updated kitchen.

Quartz countertops.

Cute light fixtures.

Everything smells good.

And you've already mentally moved your sofa into the living room.

I know what's coming next.

You turn around and say:

“Jen... I LOVE IT.” 😍

And I'm going to say:

“I know. It's adorable. Now let's actually look at the HOUSE.”

😂

Because while you're imagining Christmas morning in the living room...

I'm looking around for clues.

Come on.

Let's tour this one together. 🔎

🚪 We Just Walked Through the Front Door

You're looking at the pretty entryway.

I'm looking...

UP.

Ceilings can tell us things.

I'm noticing discoloration.

Water stains.

Cracks.

Fresh patches.

Anything that looks different from the surrounding area.

Does seeing a ceiling stain automatically mean:

RUN AWAY!!! 😱

No.

It could be old.

It could have been repaired.

It could have a perfectly reasonable explanation.

But I'm probably going to ask:

“What's that?”

Pretty décor shouldn't stop us from looking beyond it.

🛋️ Now We're in the Living Room

You:

“I LOVE this fireplace!”

Me:

“Yep. It's beautiful. Let's look at the windows.” 😂

Do they open?

Do they close?

Do they appear foggy between the panes?

Do we notice damaged trim?

Does anything around them show signs of moisture?

Then I'm looking at the floors.

Are they level?

Are there unusual gaps?

Soft spots?

Damage hidden conveniently underneath a rug?

Again...

None of these things automatically mean the house is bad.

We're simply paying attention.

Because this is probably one of the largest purchases you're ever going to make.

Take your time.

🍳 And Here Comes the Kitchen...

Oh boy.

This is where buyers fall in love. 😂

Big island.

Beautiful backsplash.

Updated cabinets.

New appliances.

Cute pendant lights.

You're opening the pantry thinking:

“MY AIR FRYER WILL FIT!”

And I'm happy for you. 😂

But let's look a little closer.

Open the cabinets under the sink.

Do we see staining?

Moisture?

Warped material?

Anything that looks recently repaired?

Let's look around the dishwasher.

Let's look at the flooring.

Let's turn on the faucet.

And don't be afraid to open cabinets and drawers when appropriate during a showing.

You're considering buying the HOUSE.

You're allowed to understand how it functions.

Just don't eat the seller's snacks.

Apparently I have to draw the line somewhere. 😂

🚿 Let's Check Out the Bathrooms

You see:

Cute tile!

I see:

Water lives here. 👀

Bathrooms are naturally areas where we want to pay attention to moisture.

Look around showers.

Look around tubs.

Look underneath sinks.

Look near toilets.

Notice flooring.

Notice ventilation.

Does anything smell musty?

Do we see staining?

Is caulking deteriorated?

Is something obviously leaking?

Again...

We're not conducting the home inspection ourselves.

That's what professionals are for.

We're simply using our eyes while we're there.

🛏️ The Bedrooms Look Great...

And now you're deciding which room will be your office.

Perfect.

While you're doing that, let's think practically.

Will your furniture fit?

How large are the closets?

Where are the outlets?

How much natural light is there?

Where does the room sit in relation to bathrooms?

Does the layout actually work for your life?

Sometimes buyers fall in love with a home's appearance and don't think about how they're actually going to live in it.

A beautiful house with a layout that drives you crazy...

is eventually going to drive you crazy.

😂

😬 Okay... Time for the Basement

This is where everybody suddenly becomes a detective.

🔦🔎

And Wichita-area basements deserve attention.

I'm looking at foundation walls.

Any visible cracking?

Signs of previous repairs?

Water staining?

Musty smells?

Sump pump?

Finished walls covering areas we can't see?

Does that mean I'm diagnosing foundation problems?

Absolutely not.

I'm a Realtor — not a structural engineer.

But if we see something concerning, we're not going to shrug and say:

“I'm sure it's fine.”

We're going to ask questions and, when appropriate, get the right professional involved.

🚰 Now Let's Talk Plumbing

You don't need to become a plumber during the showing.

But there are easy things to notice.

Turn on faucets.

Look underneath sinks.

Flush toilets when appropriate.

Notice water pressure.

Look for obvious staining around plumbing fixtures.

If the property has a basement, look at exposed plumbing where visible.

And depending on the property, sewer or septic considerations may also be something we discuss.

Because the prettiest kitchen in Wichita doesn't make a plumbing problem disappear. 😬

🌳 Now We're Heading Outside

This is where buyers sometimes stop looking carefully because they've already decided:

“I WANT THIS HOUSE.”

Not so fast. 😂

Walk around it.

Look at the exterior.

Look at grading.

Where does water appear to flow?

Are gutters directing water away from the foundation?

What condition is the siding in?

What about decks and railings?

Are there large trees close to the home?

What's happening around the foundation?

And yes...

LOOK AT THE ROOF.

You don't have to climb up there.

Please don't climb up there. 😂

But we can certainly look from the ground and ask questions about its age and condition.

🚗 Wait! We Haven't Looked at the Garage Yet

Don't treat the garage like an afterthought.

We're looking at:

Garage doors.

Openers.

Electrical.

Walls.

Ceiling.

Storage.

Floor.

And any visible signs of moisture or damage.

Plus...

Will your vehicle actually fit?

This sounds ridiculous until somebody discovers after closing that their giant truck and their adorable garage are not compatible.

😂

🛑 Now Here Is the REALLY Important Part

Everything we've just done is NOT a substitute for a professional home inspection.

Let me say that louder:

GET THE INSPECTION. 🔎🏡

A showing is when we observe.

An inspection is when a qualified professional evaluates the property more thoroughly within the scope of that inspection.

And depending on the home and what we discover, there may be reasons to consider additional inspections or evaluations.

Foundation.

Roof.

HVAC.

Sewer.

Septic.

Electrical.

Plumbing.

Termites.

Whatever the situation calls for.

My job isn't to pretend I'm an expert in every system in a house.

My job is to help you recognize when we need to bring in someone who is.

❤️ You Can Love the House AND Still Investigate It

This might be my favorite thing to teach buyers.

You don't have to choose between being excited and being smart.

You can walk into a house and say:

“THIS IS IT!”

😍😍😍

And then...

we do our homework.

We look at comparable properties.

We talk about price.

We read disclosures.

We write the offer appropriately.

We conduct inspections.

We ask questions.

We gather information.

Then you make decisions based on more than the fact that the kitchen backsplash is adorable.

Because remember...

You're not buying the backsplash.

You're buying everything attached to it.

😂

🏡 Wichita House Hunting Should Be FUN

Buying a home is exciting.

I don't want you walking through every property terrified that something horrible is hiding behind every wall.

That's not the point.

I want you excited.

I want you imagining where the Christmas tree will go. 🎄

I want you picturing summer nights on the patio.

I want you thinking about where your furniture will fit.

But while you're dreaming...

I'm going to keep looking. 👀🔎

That's part of having someone in your corner.

So when we walk into the next house and you turn around with that look on your face...

I'll already know.

“Jen... I LOVE IT.”

😂❤️

And I'll probably say:

“I know you do. Now let's go look at the basement.”

Jennifer Timmermeyer
Realtor® | Real Broker, LLC

Serving Wichita, Kansas and surrounding communities.

Fall in love with the house. Then let's make sure you understand what you're buying. 🏡❤️🔎