Do You Know What to Bring to an Open House? We Can Help!

House hunting often starts online, with buyers scrolling through listings, looking at photos, and watching virtual tours. But nothing compares to stepping inside a home and experiencing it in person. Whether you’re new to open houses or a seasoned pro looking to stay organized, you may be wondering: what to bring to open house?

Open houses offer a chance to explore, ask questions, and envision your future in a space. You get a good idea of what the house is really like. You can hear if there are any creaky floorboards. You can smell whether or not there may be a mold problem in the basement. You might even be able to chat with the neighbors to get some insider knowledge about the neighborhood, the property, and so on.

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If you’re considering going to an open house, you don’t want to go empty-handed — especially if you’re serious about finding a new home to buy. We’ll fill you in on what to bring to an open house and what you’ll want to leave at home. (You’d be surprised by what some people bring with them!)

What to bring to an open house: The must-haves

1. A list of questions

One of the most important things that you should bring to an open house is a list of questions. You don’t want to wander aimlessly through someone’s house, nor do you want to be caught off-guard when you’re greeted by the listing agent and they ask if they can answer any questions!

So, what questions should you ask?

“When someone comes to an open house, they have already seen the listing on a website somewhere. Of course, they’ll ask [about] the price, but they should ask about the taxes, maintenance fees, what the neighbors and neighborhood are like. Some will even ask about the utility bills and average cost per month,” Mary Stewart, a veteran real estate agent in Texas with over 40 years of experience, shares.

Here’s a list of questions you should ask at an open house:

Questions about the listing:

1. How long has the home been on the market?
2. Have there been any price reductions? If so, why?
3. Are there any pending offers?
4. What’s included in the sale (appliances, light fixtures, etc.)?
5. Has the home been recently renovated or updated?

Questions about the seller:

1. Why is the seller moving?
2. How soon does the seller need to close?
3. Have there been any previous offers that fell through? If so, why?
4. Is the seller willing to negotiate on price or cover closing costs?
5. Does the seller have any contingencies tied to the sale?

Questions about the property:

1. How old are the roof, HVAC system, and major appliances?
2. Have there been any past water damage, foundation, or structural issues?
3. What are the average utility costs for the home?
4. Are there any homeowners association (HOA) fees?
5. Has the home been inspected recently?

Questions about the neighborhood:

1. What are the nearby schools and how are they rated?
2. How is the traffic and commute in the area?
3. Are there any upcoming developments or zoning changes?
4. What are the local crime rates?
5. What amenities, parks, or shopping centers are nearby?

Pro tip: Don’t forget to bring something to record the agent’s answers! This could be a pen and paper, a tablet, or you can use your phone if you’re skilled with a small keyboard. With that said, we don’t recommend using your phone to record the answers if you intend on taking photos and videos, or if you’re using it to illuminate dark spaces — it may be too cumbersome to juggle everything!

2. A tape measure

Have you ever noticed that an empty room looks humongous when there’s no furniture in it? You could walk into a bedroom and think, “Yeah, I totally have enough room for my bedroom furniture!” …But you could be wrong.

Maybe you want to keep a custom dining table or replace the existing appliances in the house. A tape measure will make your life a whole lot easier because you’ll know how much square footage you have to work with.

Pro tip: Along with a tape measure, you should document the dimensions of your larger pieces of furniture (living room set, entertainment stand, bedroom furniture, and so on) and bring them with you. This way, you’ll know for sure if the home has enough space for your existing furniture.

If you forget to measure your larger items, make sure to jot down the room’s measurements. When you get home, you can use free room layout programs like HomeByMe, Planner 5D, and Sweet Home 3D to visualize how things will fit.

3. A light

Okay, we know this sounds like an odd thing to bring. You’d think that the listing agent would keep all the curtains or blinds open so the rooms are flooded with natural light — or at least have all the lights on.

The reason you should bring a light with you is because it will let you see in the darkest corners of the home. You can look in the closets, check out the cabinet space, and look in the attic or basement (providing you ask the agent first). A light can help you see the amount of storage space there or spot potential problems that lurk in the dark.

Pro tip: You can use your phone’s flashlight to look in dark spaces, but if you’re using it to take photos (more on that next), you’ll have to rely on your flash when snapping a picture. And, although your flash may work, sometimes the picture will turn out grainy, and you won’t be able to see the finer details.

That’s why we recommend bringing a miniature flashlight with you. LED flashlights are great because they’re quite a bit brighter than your ordinary flashlight.

4. A camera

What do you do if you go to an open house and love it, but your partner isn’t there with you? What if you go to several different open houses and you can’t recall the features of one house over another?

A camera is a great way to document what you liked and didn’t like about the home. You can mull over the photographs with your partner, or you can use them to help you weigh the pros and cons of several different houses.

While taking photos can be helpful, not all sellers are comfortable with it, and some might see it as a security concern.

“Some sellers have a problem with someone taking pictures or video. They get suspicious and think the person is casing the place,” Stewart notes. And often, “photos and videos aren’t necessary because we can have up to 50 photos online. We also have 3D tours, and it’s like someone is in the attic showing the whole house, including the floor plan and even furniture!” So make sure you ask the listing agent whether recording devices are allowed.

It’s worth mentioning that most cameras have a video recording feature that you can use to record your thoughts as you tour the house.

Pro tip: You might think it’s perfectly fine to take snapshots or record videos while you go through the house, but if the house is still occupied, it’s also an invasion of privacy. Remember that it’s common courtesy to ask the listing agent before you start snapping.