An open house is a great way for buyers to check out a house without feeling obligated to sellers or their realtors in any way. If you attend an open house, you can roam and look around a house at your leisure. Don't treat it as just a casual event, though. It's an opportunity to potentially find your future home. Before you go to an open house, keep these four things in mind.

Know How Long the House Has Been Listed for Sale

Finding out exactly how long a house has been listed for sale is important. If a home has been on the market for longer than a few months, there is likely a reason that you should consider. Sometimes it's just a matter of luck or not securing the right buyer, but an extended period on the market raises a red flag worth investigating.

You can get this information from a realtor. While online websites may list the number of days a house has been for sale, a real estate agent has access to databases and can cross check dates to ensure that you know exactly how long a house has been listed.

Find Out the Essential Facts About the Neighborhood

When it comes to looking for your dream home, only you can define what your dream home truly is. The same is true for the neighborhood you want to live in. You may know a lot about a city, but each neighborhood is a unique community in and of itself. Before going to an open house, do the following:

• Request the crime report for the neighborhood from the local law enforcement department.
• Check out which restaurants and shops are near the house.
• Drive around the neighborhood to see other nearby homes and the condition they're him.

Know What You Truly Want in a Home

Identify which features are most important to you when looking at houses for sale. Knowing your deal-breakers, preferences, and things that are mildly important to you can help you weed out homes that fall short of your expectations, while they can also show you when you need to give some other houses a chance. Whether you are most concerned with a house's architectural style, the size of its yard, closet space, the number of bedrooms, its floor plan, the neighborhood, or something else entirely, it's essential that you list them out and examine them before going to open houses.

Finally, keep in mind that adequately preparing for an open house can prevent you from making an impulse decision you'll regret. Empowering yourself with the right information can give you the upper hand at an open house. For more information, contact NORTHERN COLORADO HOME SEARCH or a similar organization.