What Should First-Time Buyers Look for at a Showing in the Greater Tulsa Area?

Fresh paint is easy to love. Look at the roof and windows first. At every showing, I look at the important things for my first-time buyers, what I call the big five: the roof, the HVAC, the water heater, the windows, and the structure. How old is the roof? How old is the HVAC? Are there any large cracks? While I'm checking those, you can focus on the floor plan, the location, and how you would live in the home.

Whether you're touring homes in Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Owasso, Collinsville, Coweta, Glenpool, or Catoosa, the big five are the same.

I'm Christina Shortsleeve, a REALTOR® with REMAX Results, and I help first-time buyers across the Greater Tulsa Area buy with a clear plan. A showing goes by quickly, so it helps to know where to look before you walk in.

Paint, flooring, and light fixtures are what catch your eye first, and they're the easiest things to change later. The big five are the opposite. They're harder to see, and they can be the most expensive to replace.

That's why I check the big five at every showing. The finishes still matter, but they shouldn't be what decides the house.

These are the things I look at for you during every showing:

1. The roof. How old is it?
2. The HVAC. How old is the heating and air system?
3. The water heater. How old is it?
4. The windows. What condition are they in?
5. The structure. Do you see any large cracks?

This isn't an inspection. Looking at the big five helps you navigate your offer. If any of these big-ticket items are older or may need to be replaced, that's something to factor into what you offer, and I'll walk through it with you. My article on how to decide how much to offer explains how they fit into your offer.

While I'm looking at the big five, you can focus on how the home fits your life:

• The floor plan. Does the layout work for how you live day to day? Picture where you'd spend most of your time, where things would go, and how you'd move through the home.
• The location. Check the drive to the places you go regularly, at the time you would normally make it.
• Your lifestyle. Think about how much yard you want to maintain, and whether the home is close to the places you enjoy spending your time.

A home can have a great roof and new windows and still not be the right fit. The best home for you checks both boxes.

You don't need to. I take notes during showings, so you and I can talk through the house afterward, and so you have what you need if you'd like to come back to it.

That way, you can focus on the home itself while you're there.

A showing is your first look, not your last. Once your offer is accepted, the inspection takes a much closer look at the home's condition, from head to toe. My article on what a home inspection covers in Oklahoma explains what happens there.

• Falling for the finishes. Fresh paint and new fixtures are easy to love and easy to change.
• Overlooking the big five. The roof, HVAC, water heater, windows, and structure can be the most expensive to replace, which is why I check them at every showing.
• Forgetting how the home fits your life. A home can look great and still not work for your floor plan, your drive, or how you live day to day.

What should I look for when touring a house?

The big five: the roof, the HVAC, the water heater, the windows, and the structure. I look at those for you during the showing, so you can focus on the floor plan, the location, and how you would live in the home.

Why does the age of the roof and HVAC matter?

They can be some of the most expensive items to replace, so their age can affect what a home is worth to you.

What else should I consider at a showing?

The floor plan, the location, and your lifestyle. Picture how you'd live in the home day to day, and check the drive to the places you go regularly.

Should I take pictures during a showing?

You don't need to. I take notes during showings so you and I can talk through the house afterward.

Is a showing the same as an inspection?

No. Looking at the big five during a showing helps you navigate your offer, especially if any big-ticket items are older or may need to be replaced. The inspection happens after your offer is accepted and evaluates the home from head to toe.

If you're starting to think about buying, start with my page for first-time buyers in the Greater Tulsa Area. When you're ready, send me a message. I'll walk you through the Purchasing Pathway, so you know what each step looks like, including your showings, before you reach it.

Christina Shortsleeve is a REALTOR® with REMAX Results in the Greater Tulsa Area, helping first-time buyers, homeowners ready to upgrade, and downsizers buy and sell with a clear plan. She has sold 127 homes since 2020.