Many buyers have regrets about the home they bought, but these typically come after they’ve moved in, when it’s too late to do much about it. As a real estate agent, it’s your job to help clients avoid such regrets, and the best way to do so is by reminding them to properly assess the property before they sign on the dotted line.

Here’s a few tips you can share with them that should go a long way in helping to prevent or at least minimize any buyer’s remorse.

1. Take a look at night
Agents should advise their clients to see the home at different times of the day, and also at night. In their haste many buyers forget that the community can change drastically in the evenings and at night, when everyone has got back from work or school. For example, it might be that the next-door neighbor plays host to a crowd of school kids once lessons have finished, and the noise might not be for everyone.

2. Test the commute
Most buyers will consider the commute, but how many actually test it out for themselves. It can be very easy to misjudge the time it takes to get somewhere by car during rush hour if you don’t know the exact route, so it makes sense to actually take a test drive and see for yourself. If the traffic is worse than they expect, clients might suddenly have second thoughts about wanting to live there.

3. Homeowners association rules
Homeowners considering buying a property that falls under a homeowners association should carefully review whatever bylaws have been put in place. Homeowners associations can have a lot of conditions, covenants and restrictions in place regarding what people can do with their homes. You’ll also learn what neighbors are allowed to do—in case, for example, your client is uncomfortable living next to a home that is being rented out.

4. Specialized inspections
There may be a need for specialized home inspections that go beyond what regular home inspectors will offer. For example, if the home has a septic tank or solar panels on the roof, these things are often ignored or only given a cursory check. For a comprehensive inspection, it is usually necessary to hire a specialist.

4 Things to Check to Avoid Home Buyer’s Remorse by Mike Wheatley | Realty Biz News