For most buyers the process of viewing homes is based largely upon emotion. Most buyers will have a visceral reaction upon entering a home. Some homes will give the buyer an immediate positive feeling while others will give the buyer an immediate negative feeling.
• While the initial visceral reaction is important, it can sometimes cloud a buyer's thinking. The homes that give the buyer a negative feeling are unlikely to ever give the buyer a positive feeling. However, some homes that give the buyer an initial positive feeling can sometimes give a different feeling after a second or even third viewing.
• We think it is important to follow your initial feelings but for homes that give you a positive initial feeling, we recommend visiting the home at least one more time before making a decision. Most buyers will have a more critical eye on their second viewing of a home and may realize there are aspects that do not appeal to them that they may have overlooked during their initial visit.
• The other reason it is important to view homes at least a second time is that sellers have become very savvy at "staging" their homes. For instance, sellers will bake cookies, turn on music and light candles to try to manipulate the buyer's initial visceral reaction. While this can often work on the initial visit, buyers can usually tune out these attempts on subsequent visits and do a better job of analyzing the home.
