Purchasing a house is a very fun and exciting time for every buyer. On a daily basis, there are new homes entering the market that could fit your exact needs. In a perfect world, you would be able to see a house the day that it comes on the market. In a very competitive real estate market such as the GTA, it is important to get out and see new listings as soon as possible. Of course, schedules often get in the way and it is important with a limited amount of time that you are picking the best possible days to view houses that come on the market.
So, what are the best days to view houses if they come on the market every day? Well, there isn’t an exact science, but we have found a formula that works very well. Knowing that most buyers will typically have one evening available during the week and a more flexible schedule on the weekends, they can most likely view homes two days per week.
The most ideal days to view new listings are Tuesdays and Saturdays. The reason for this is that the majority of new listings that come on the market are on Monday and Tuesday. Sellers and agents typically use the weekend to get the final touches done before going live on the market. Using Tuesday evening as your “weekday evening” you will be able to see all the new inventory that came out on Monday and Tuesday, which represents over 70% of the new listings.
Without a doubt, there will be more listings coming on the market in the latter part of the week. Most people have their weeks mapped out week well in advance, so there is much less chance for “the house” to be sold before you would have an opportunity to view it on the weekend. Using Saturday as your second viewing day will allow you to see all of the inventory that came out later on in the week.
Also, if you have flexibility on both weekend days (and your agent doesn’t) you will likely be able to go directly to an Open House. Open Houses are usually held on the first weekend after a property is on the market, so you will have a much higher likelihood of ensuring you are not missing out on any of the listings you would like to see.
Every buyer is different but you can expect to see anywhere from 2-4 houses in an hour depending on how much time you spend viewing. On a weeknight, you will likely be able to see anywhere from 6-8 homes and on a weekend, you will be able to see as many homes as your schedule allows for!
Of course, not every new listing will match exactly what you are looking for. I have rarely seen more than 8 properties come on the market in any given week that perfectly matches a buyer’s criteria.
So, you don’t need to worry or get in a panic about missing out on “the one”. As long as you are able to commit to two times per week, you should be able to see every property that interests you before it’s too late!