Going on Showings

A showing will generally last about 15 minutes for a condo and 30-45 minutes for a house, depending on the size of the home. During the showing, you’ll want to see if the space fits you & your goals, but you’ll also want to take a closer look at the property itself to ensure you are making a good investment.

Make sure to scroll to the bottom of this page to find our Showing Dos & Don’ts!

Questions to Ask

You can ask these questions on the showing, & your agent will also check to see if answers to these questions are available on the MLS.

• Age of mechanicals?

• Age of appliances/laundry?

• Age of roof?

• Age of windows?

• When was the building/house last sealed or tuckpointed?

• Has the home had any water intrusion?

• Has the current owner made any updates?

• Why is the owner selling?

• How much does the HOA have in reserves? (if a condo or townhome)

• Are there any upcoming special assessments? Any recent ones? (if a condo or townhome)

• What are the rental restrictions? (if a condo or townhome)

• How many units are rented? (if a condo or townhome)

• & anything else you want to know!

In addition, your agent is also looking for anything that may affect your decision to move forward and negotiate: upgrades, building materials, appliances, and signs of damage.

Our resources for Interiors & Exteriors & Homeowner’s Associations will be helpful reads before to attending a showing.

Showings vs. Open Houses

A showing is a scheduled private tour of the property with your agent and the listing broker (unless your agent is accessing the property via lockbox). An open house is when the home is open to the public for 1-2 hours on a Saturday or Sunday.

If you attend an open house, let your agent know that you are attending so they can be prepared to write an offer if you fall in love.

Garages & Parking

If the property appears to have a tight garage, we advise our buyers to practice pulling their cars into the parking spot/garage at inspection. 

If the unit has deeded parking (if a condo), note the assessment and tax amount for the parking spot in addition to the unit. Sometimes, listing agents do not put the total on the MLS to make the fees look lower. 

Neighborhoods & Safety

We cannot comment on the safety or demographics of a neighborhood per the Fair Housing Act and Code of Ethics — more on that here. Instead, we can point you to helpful resources and encourage you to spend as much time in the neighborhood as possible before falling in love with a home there 🙂

Schools

If you have (or plan to have!) kids, you’re probably interested in your neighborhood’s schools.

Chicago’s suburban schools are organized into districts rather than by county. Additionally, these districts are governed by independent school boards. In most cases your child’s school district and school assignment are determined by your home’s address and a child’s age.

Chicago Public Schools (“CPS”) offers a variety of school options including neighborhood schools, charter schools, magnet schools, and selective programs. For options outside of your neighborhood, not determined by your home’s address and a child’s age, there is typically an application process. CPS uses five performance ratings to measure a school’s rating: Levels 1+, 1, and 2+ (Good Standing), Level 2 (Provisional Support), and Level 3 (Intensive Support).

Showing Dos & Don’ts