Why You Should Tour A Home At Different Times Of Day

You’ll likely tour your prospective home several times before you buy, but scheduling that tour at the same time of day each time could come back to haunt you. Why? A few reasons.

Natural lighting can affect both how the house looks inside and out, traffic patterns are different in different areas at different times, and noise levels can vary wildly. Even just driving by the home during different times of day can help you get a feel for the conditions of the area it’s in.

There’s a benefit to touring a home during just about any part of the day, and you should do multiple visits to get a true feel for your new digs. That will help you get a rounded view of the home, the neighborhood, and the community that lives in it.

Morning Home Tours

Mornings are a good way to assess how busy the commute from a certain area is. Are you near a busy highway, and is your street a popular shortcut to avoid that highway? You’ll never know if you only visit at lunchtime.

• Natural Light: How does the rising sun filter into the home? Does it hit the picture box window where your plants will be, or does it filter directly (and brightly) into your baby’s nursery?

• Traffic Patterns: Commuting to work and school can make morning traffic feel especially egregious, depending on the home’s location.

• Noise Levels: Homes located near major roads and highways will inevitably experience higher levels of noise in the morning.

Afternoon Home Tours

Midday is the perfect time to see what kind of community you would be living in. Do you want an active community for your young family, or a quieter one for your retirement? The bustle, or lack thereof, in the afternoon can help you learn a lot about your new neighbors.

• Natural Light: Midday brings bright, direct light that really shows off how light filters throughout the house, and how it affects the temperature from room to room.

• Traffic Patterns: Traffic is usually lighter in the afternoon; most of it will be from the end of the school day, so it’s not a bad time to explore the neighborhood’s walkability.

• Noise Levels: Daytime might bring construction, school activities, and general neighborhood sounds.

Evening Home Tours

Evenings are when things are finally winding down for the day - or gearing up, depending on your neighborhood. Assessing evening noise levels is something you want to do before you sign closing documents. Assess neighborhood safety by visiting at night – note nighttime lighting and activity.

• Natural (and Man-Made) Light: Does the sun set directly behind the window that faces the TV? Are the street lights functioning? Does one blaze directly into your bedroom?

• Traffic Patterns: Evening traffic can be as bad as the morning rush, depending on your commute. Are there lots of night shift folks driving through after business hours? Do people speed through your neighborhood?

• Noise Levels: Traffic aside, evenings are usually quieter. Visiting at night – especially on a weekend – can help you determine if your neighbors tend to get rowdy or if quiet hours are truly quiet.

Weekends vs. Weekdays

Don’t forget to go mid-week as well as on Saturdays. Weekdays represent typical work and school days, while weekends offer you the chance to see what kinds of social activities the community puts on (not to mention those potentially rowdy neighbors).

To learn more about home tours and the home buying process, visit newhomesource.com/learn.