Question about what to do while viewing open houses, first time?

This weekend I will be looking at several houses that are for sale. I have never done this before. I am wondering what is proper to do and not do. Can i open the peoples cupboards and closets etc. This may sound dumb but i have no clue. Is it appropriate to take pictures? any tips on what i should be doing while looking at these houses..what i should be checking etc

Of course you can open closets and cabinets! If it comes with the home it's fair game. Be sure to check under sinks for leaks and water damage. Run the water to check the pressure if you'd like. Open the windows to see if they're in working order- plus look for condensation and mold- a sign of a bad seal. It's really important to check these things if you plan to live there.
Make a list of everything that's important in a home to you and take it with you. Check off what the home has and make notes of what you liked and didn't care for. When you go home you'll remember the homes you saw better.
Most importantly- if you find a home that's right for you, always get an inspection before buying. You never can be too careful and it could save you thousands.
Good luck and happy house hunting!!

Take you camera. If you are viewing lived-in houses, don't snoop. If not lived-in, snoop away!

Best advice: look around at many houses and do not feel pressured to buy.

Also remember that NO house is perfect. I'd also be looking for a house that is already energy efficient (dual paned windows, siding, etc) so you don't have a crazy utility bill.

Good luck and have fun!

Yes, if you are a serious buyer you can poke your nose into cupboards and closets. Don't open drawers.

BUT... only do this when you are accompanied by the owner or real estate agent. If anything comes up missing (and that happens a lot at open houses) you don't want to be under suspicion.

Hopefully you have a real estate agent you are working with and who will accompany you to these open houses. If so, he/she will be able to point out features (and pitfalls) they see in a house. Can you open closets - yes. You want to see how much storage space a house has to offer. One thing to keep in mind. You have to visualize the house with your stuff in it, not theirs. Don't reject a house because you don't like the color of the bathroom or the carpet in the family room. Things like that can easily be changed.

Here is my philosophy (having purchased two homes):
If they want me to buy the house, I should be able to open any door and flush any toilet and turn on any shower.
Of course, the inspector will check for specific damage the used house may have, so you don't need to worry about looking for serious issues.
Open the pantry to check the size. Open the closets to see if your stuff will fit.
You can also take pictures. I take pictures, notes, ask questions and take the flyer with the basic info. Ask for the Seller's Disclosure form. They should be on display for you to have.
As I leave the house I rate it on the flyer.
One pointer: Look to see if they painted over wall paper. I found that to be prevalent this last time I was buying. It is atrocious and very difficult to correct.
Finally, look for signs that the house was not well maintained. It could lead to bigger problems for you down the road.
For example: Check their air filters (Are they clean?). Check their shower heads (Are they clean?). All of those things could show you that the previous renters/owners did not care much for the house.
Decide if you want a house that you have to fix up and pay less for or is ready made.
Lemme know if I can help any more.

Yes, you can open peoples closets,not chest drawers that their personal things are are in.Cupboards are o.k. to open to.You usually have a real estate agent with you.If not you can look at these things on your own.Look under the crawl space for signs of rotten wood,moisture,leaky pipes and termite damage,.If the house dosen't have crawl space under it,check out the basement for leaks,look at the wiring and pipes,water heater and possible leaks from foundation.Inside look for mold. Yes you can take pictures and if they so no,run like a turkey,this means someyhing is wrong.

One of the goals of visiting open houses is to quickly look through several potential houses in order to weed out the 'loosers'. You do not want to spend a lot of time while you are doing this, nor do you want to come back over and over again for inspection. You want to be able to come in, determine basic issues with the property, and be able to make an intelligent offer on the house that you like based on the outcome of your inspection.

I am not going to discuss the obvious here, such as size of rooms, is the kitchen or the bathroom nice, etc as all this depends on you. Nor will I cover everything, as your home inspector will go through an inspection later anyways, as part of the purchase process. I just want to mention things that you can determine quickly yourself while doing a walk through.

1) Bring a bright flashlight. You will need this to see in all the poorly lit areas of the house. You can also detect wall cracks easy this way. Bring a camera for pics and a notebook to take notes. Since you will look at several houses, make good notes so that you will not be confused which house is which.

2) Look at everything, and especially open all closets and cupboards. Ask first, but look. Use your flashlight. This is because the closets are located on the side(party wall) of the house, and if there is a roof leak, closets are usually where it is easy to detect. Home owners usually do not pay much attention to closets, and do not repair them. You can be looking at a house where the owner painted the bedroom ceiling, but did not fix the closet, nor the roof.

3)Look at the the ceilings underneath kitchens and bathrooms, especially if the bathroom has vinyl and not tile
flooring. Look for presence of leaks, or patched leaks.

4)In the basement, look to see if the basement is dry, look for indicators of moisture, and presence of mold. If the basement
is not finished, this will be easy to see.
If all of a sudden you start coughing and sneezing in the basement, this is probably not you, but the house.
Does the basement gets wet, why? Is this because of a cracked pipe? Or water incursion from outside? If second, is there a sump pump? Look over the waste stack pipe with your flashlight. Is it in decent enough shape?

5)Look at the water boiler, water heater, forced air furnce, etc.
How old are they? Do they work?

6)Walk around the outside of the house. How is the structure? Is anything jumping out at you? Are all downspouts
installed? If not, the house will leak where they are missing, even through the brick. Is there excessive shifting of the house or foundation? If the house is of brick, look for settlement cracks over the windows, etc.

If you find any issues with the house, but feel that the house
is still something you want, then use your findings, pictures and notes to negotiate a better price with the seller.

Regards,
Jake
National Properties Group, Inc.

Take someone that knows about houses. You need to check the houses foundation, leakage in basement on walls and floors,roof condition,wiring of house, sinks leak, installation, attic , furnace and water tank safety ..open everything and ask questions. Right your questions down beforehand and u r paying the money get your moneys worth..See if there is a warranty on house and appliances and if there is an inspection prior required..make sure past taxes r paid so u don't get stuck with them...

everyone has left very good answers, but definately walk aroung OUTSIDE. Ask about the roof, when it was last replaced, how long of shingle life did they purchase (15 yr, 25 yr, 30 yr). Look at the water heater and furnace for their energy effiecient guide.ask how many tons the a/c is. ask to look in the basement to see if it's dry or leaky. if it smells moist, it probably has been and you don't need that. If they say no...there's something they are hiding.

Good Luck!

I would think that if you are a potential buyer it is your right to open closet doors, cabinet doors, check for working heating and cooling, windows that open and close with ease, anything that will be important to you.