Buying in Fall: What a Fall Showing Shows You That Summer Hides

The Quick Answer

In fall, look for what cold and wet weather expose: drafts at windows and doors, how warm the house stays, how the furnace sounds and smells, where rain and leaves send water, the roof and eavestroughs, and frost or condensation. In St. Albert, these are the things our winters test hardest.

John Carle, St. Albert REALTOR® with Homes & Gardens Real Estate Limited

A house in July is on its best behaviour. The windows are open, the grass is green and the furnace is asleep.

A house in October has to show you what it's got. I've been showing homes in St. Albert since 1999, and some of the most useful showings I've done were on cold, wet fall evenings. Here's what to look for, and a checklist you can print and take with you.

Why is fall a good time to see a house around here?

Cooler nights, rain and wind show you how a home handles weather. Summer hides most of that.

Our winters are long and cold, and fall brings freeze-thaw cycles where water melts in the afternoon and freezes again overnight. Snow can show up in October. By November it's dark before supper, so a lot of showings happen under the porch light. All of that tells you something about a house before you own it.

Fall brings a smaller market. Fewer buyers, but also less competition. It's this ratio that matters. I can assess each neighbourhood and market segment individually.

If you want the current numbers, my St. Albert market page has them.

How do I feel for drafts and cold spots?

Use the back of your hand. It's more sensitive than your palm. Hold it near window frames, patio doors, the attic hatch and outside walls.

Pay attention to:

• Rooms over the garage, which often run cooler.
• Outside walls in older homes, like many in The Gardens, Braeside and Akinsdale.
• Fog or frost between the panes of a double-pane window. That usually means the seal has failed.

Ask the seller how old the windows are. Write it down. You'll forget by the third house.

What should I check with the furnace, the hot water tank and the heat?

Start simple. Is the heat on? Does the house feel even from room to room, or is the main floor warm and the back bedroom cold?

Listen when the furnace starts. Banging, rattling or a loud whine are worth noting. So is any smell of gas, burning dust or something musty from the vents.

It's always the first few runs of a furnace that put it under the most pressure, which is a great time to see how healthy the furnace is. That's why I often turn the heat up in a showing, especially in the fall. Let's hear the furnace rattle or struggle before you buy it. Your home inspector or a licensed heating contractor should assess what you hear. I'll leave the diagnosis to them.

Then ask the seller:

• How old are the furnace and the hot water tank?
• When was the furnace last serviced?
• When was the filter last changed?
• Is there a humidifier or an HRV (a heat recovery ventilator that swaps stale indoor air for fresh outdoor air)?

You'll hear about high-efficiency and older furnaces. In plain terms, a high-efficiency furnace turns more of its fuel into heat for the house, and usually vents out the side through plastic pipe instead of up a metal chimney. Your home inspector or a licensed heating contractor can tell you more about the unit in front of you.

How does fall rain show me drainage, grading and basement problems?

Fall rain is a free test. Walk around the outside of the house and watch where the water goes.

Look for:

• Downspouts that end right beside the foundation instead of carrying water away from it.
• Ground that slopes toward the house instead of away.
• Puddles along the walls.
• Window wells full of leaves.

Then go to the basement and use your nose first. A musty smell is a clue. So are stains on walls or floors and a white, chalky residue on concrete (called efflorescence, left behind when water moves through it). If there's a sump pump, ask whether it runs often and when.

Spring runoff matters too, so a dry basement in October doesn't tell you everything about April. The City of St. Albert explains what owners have to maintain on its lot grading page.

In newer areas like Jensen Lakes, Erin Ridge and Oakmont, watch for spots where the ground has settled near the foundation. Questions about what a new home warranty covers go to the builder, and your lawyer can explain the paperwork.

What should I look for on the roof and eavestroughs, and what are ice dams?

Look from the street or the yard. Never climb up.

Things you can see from the ground:

• Leaves piled in the eavestroughs.
• Sagging or loose eavestroughs.
• Missing or curled shingles.
• Moss, often on the north side.

Ice dams are a big topic in our winters. Here's how they happen. Heat leaks from the house into the attic and melts snow on the roof. That water runs down to the colder edge by the eavestroughs and freezes again. The ridge of ice traps more water behind it, and that water can work its way under the shingles.

Inside, brown stains on ceilings near outside walls can be a sign a house has had them. Ask your inspector about attic insulation and ventilation. Those are the right questions, and the inspector is the right person to answer them. Natural Resources Canada describes the same attic-heat pattern in Keeping the Heat In.

What do the trees, yard and outside of the house tell me?

Once the leaves start coming down, you can see the bones of the house and more of the roof.

Look for branches hanging over the roof, and big trees close to the house. In older areas, large trees near the sewer line are worth asking your inspector about.

Check that the outside taps have been shut off for winter. And look closely at the deck, steps and railings. Wet leaves on wooden stairs are slippery, and if you're planning to stay in this home for years, you want steps you can trust in November and March.

Why should I visit after dark and in the rain?

Visiting after dark is fine. But a second showing during daylight is a good idea if you love the house.

At night, notice:

• Is there outdoor lighting at the front door and garage?
• How well lit is the street?
• Is the walkway safe to use, or are there steps you can't see?
• How does the neighbourhood feel at 5 p.m. in November?

Look at the driveway too. A steep slope down to the garage is no fun with snow and ice on it. Open and close the garage door. For bungalow buyers and anyone downsizing, these small things decide whether a house works day to day.

If you're serious about a house, see it in the rain when you can. Wet weather is when drainage and walkways tell the truth.

What can't a showing tell me?

A lot. A checklist is not a home inspection.

This list helps you notice things and ask better questions. It won't find what's behind the drywall, under the shingles or inside the furnace. A licensed home inspector looks at the structure, roof, electrical, plumbing and heating, and gives you a written report.

Whether your offer is conditional on an inspection is a decision you make with your REALTOR, and your lawyer can explain the contract itself. My home inspections guide walks through what an inspector looks at and what to expect on inspection day.

What have years of fall showings taught me?

It's always the first few runs of a furnace that put it under the most pressure, which is a great time to see how healthy the furnace is. That's why I often turn the heat up in a showing, especially in the fall. Let's hear the furnace rattle or struggle before you buy it. Then let a qualified inspector or heating contractor tell you what it means.

Visiting after dark is fine. But if you love the house, book a second showing in daylight so you see the full picture.

Key takeaways

• Fall weather shows you drafts, heating and drainage that summer hides.
• Fall brings a smaller market: fewer buyers, but also less competition. The ratio is what matters.
• Use the back of your hand at windows, doors and the attic hatch, and watch for fog between panes.
• Ask how old the furnace, hot water tank, roof and windows are, and ask for last winter's utility bills.
• At a fall showing, turn the heat up and listen. The first few furnace runs put it under the most pressure.
• Walk the outside in the rain if you can, and look at downspouts, grading and window wells.
• Look at the roof from the ground only, and ask your inspector about attic insulation and ice dams.
• Visiting after dark is fine. If you love the house, see it again in daylight.
• The checklist helps you notice things. A licensed home inspection is still the real test.

Thinking of buying this fall? I'll walk the house with you and bring the checklist. Have a look at what's for sale on my St. Albert homes for sale page, or learn more about the city on my St. Albert page.

John Carle, REALTOR®, Homes & Gardens Real Estate Limited

Just Call John. 780-937-7534