Call me nosy, but I love to look at other people houses! It’s like a peek into the home owner’s mind. From the minute you first arrive at a house for sale you learn things about the home owner.

Are the gardens neat and tidy? Then you have someone who takes pride in their homes appearance.

Is it filled with vegetables and /or flowers? The home owner has time to garden and likes being outside.

Is the yard a patch of bare grass or weeds? The home owner is too busy to take care of the lawn or works all the time.

Is the yard filled with children’s toys or dog poop? They have kids and or pets that live there or visit.

Are the gardens nice but weedy?  Then the owner is too busy to get to it or no longer able to care for it.

This is just from the outside. Once you get inside there is a whole host of things you may notice.

How dated is the decor? That can give you an indication of the age of the owner,

How much stuff/clutter is there? How functional/neat is the kitchen?

Are there labels on the cupboards and doors? – Can be signs of aging or dementia. Or a rental/airbnb.

What kinds of art/prints are on the walls? modern? romantic? musical? animal prints?

How many bedrooms are in use? is the basement finished? Is there a workshop? wine making equipment and a second kitchen?

It’s really interesting to see, and this is why a lot of houses are staged. The purpose of staging is to de-personalize,  so the buyer doesn’t feel like they are in someone elses house, but one that could be their own.