Peterborough Home Buyers: 7 Things to Look for During a Fall Showing

Fall is one of my favourite times of year in Peterborough. The leaves are changing, the air is cooler, our older neighbourhoods somehow look even more charming, and house hunting becomes a whole lot more enjoyable when you aren’t walking from showing to showing in 30-degree heat.

But fall can also be a particularly useful time to look at homes.

If you’re buying a home in Peterborough, Ontario, or the surrounding Kawartha Lakes area this fall, there are certain things worth paying extra attention to during your showings. Cooler temperatures, changing leaves and fall rain can sometimes reveal things about a property that might be harder to spot during the summer months.

Here are seven things I recommend Peterborough home buyers keep an eye on during a fall showing.

1. Look at How Water Moves Around the Property

Fall rain gives us a great opportunity to see how a property handles water.

As you walk around the exterior of a home, take a look at the grading. Ideally, the ground should encourage water to move away from the foundation rather than toward it.

Pay attention to things like:

• Low spots where water appears to collect

• Downspouts that empty right beside the foundation

• Signs of pooling water

• Damp areas around basement windows

• Cracks or visible deterioration around the foundation

• Evidence of previous water intrusion inside the basement

A wet day isn’t necessarily a bad day for a showing. In fact, I often think it’s helpful.

A beautifully sunny afternoon can make almost any property look good. Seeing a house after a good Peterborough rainstorm can sometimes tell you a little more.

2. Pay Attention to the Roof, Gutters and Mature Trees

One of the things I love about Peterborough is our mature neighbourhoods. Areas like East City and the North End have beautiful established trees and streets with tons of character.

Those trees also mean leaves. Lots and lots of leaves.

During a fall home showing, look at the condition of the gutters and downspouts and whether they appear to be functioning properly.

You can also take a general look at the roof from the ground. Are there visibly damaged or missing shingles? Are large tree branches hanging directly over the roof? Are gutters overflowing or packed with debris?

You don’t need to become a home inspector during every showing. That’s what professionals are for. But noticing these things early can help you know what questions to ask if you decide the property is worth pursuing.

3. Notice How the Home Feels as Temperatures Drop

When you’re buying a house in Peterborough, you’re buying a home that needs to perform through four very different seasons.

And, as every local knows, winter isn’t exactly subtle around here.

Fall is a great time to notice how comfortable a home feels when outdoor temperatures begin to drop.

Does one room feel noticeably colder than another? Can you feel drafts around older windows or exterior doors? Is the basement particularly cold or damp? Does the home seem well insulated?

This can be especially important when looking at some of Peterborough’s beautiful century and older homes.

Older homes can offer incredible character, craftsmanship and charm, but they can also have older windows, varying levels of insulation and heating systems that have been updated at different points over the home’s lifetime.

None of those things automatically make an older home a bad purchase. They simply become part of understanding what you’re buying.

4. Find Out How the Home Is Heated

Speaking of colder weather, don’t forget to look at the home’s heating system.

Peterborough and the Kawarthas have a wide variety of housing types, which means you’ll encounter different heating systems depending on where you’re looking.

You might see natural gas furnaces, boilers, electric baseboards, heat pumps, propane systems or combinations of different systems, particularly as you move into more rural properties around the Kawarthas.

Ask questions about the age and type of the system and, where information is available, consider reviewing previous utility costs.

The purchase price and mortgage payment are only part of the cost of owning a home. Understanding approximately what it takes to heat and operate the property can help you build a much more realistic monthly budget.

5. Look Beyond the Pretty Fall Landscaping

There is no denying it: homes can look REALLY good in October.

A beautiful front porch, pumpkins on the steps and a massive maple tree changing colour can have me mentally moving in before we’ve even opened the front door.

But try to look beyond the fall charm for a minute.

Leaves on the ground can sometimes make it harder to see the condition of landscaping, walkways, patios and drainage areas.

Take your time walking around the property.

Look at retaining walls, fences, decks, steps, driveways and exterior structures. If the home has a large lot, think about what maintaining that property will realistically look like throughout the year.

Which brings me to something buyers don’t always think about…

6. Picture the Property in February

This is one of my favourite exercises when showing homes in Peterborough and the Kawarthas.

Try to mentally remove the fall leaves and picture the property after a big February snowstorm.

Where are you putting the snow?

Is the driveway steep?

How long is it?

Is there enough parking?

Who maintains the road if you’re looking at a rural or waterfront property?

How far will you have to carry groceries from the car?

Are there sidewalks nearby if walking is important to you?

A long country driveway surrounded by trees might feel dreamy on a crisp October afternoon. It may still be dreamy in February, but you’ll want to understand what maintaining it involves.

The goal isn’t to talk yourself out of a property you love. It’s to make sure you love the reality of living there, too.

7. Pay Attention to the Neighbourhood, Not Just the House

This might be the biggest one.

When you’re buying a home, you’re also buying into a neighbourhood and a lifestyle.

Fall is actually a fantastic time to explore Peterborough neighbourhoods because normal routines are back after summer.

Schools are in session. Commuters are back to work. Kids are at parks and bus stops. University and college students are back. Traffic patterns are more typical.

Spend a few extra minutes looking around.

How busy is the street?

Can you walk to a park, coffee shop or trail?

How far are you from groceries and everyday errands?

What’s the drive to work going to look like?

If you have children, what schools and recreation options are nearby?

If you’re relocating to Peterborough from Toronto, Durham Region or elsewhere in Ontario, I especially recommend spending time in several different neighbourhoods before deciding where you want to focus your home search.

Peterborough isn’t one single lifestyle.

The North End, East City, West End, downtown and surrounding rural communities all offer something a little different.

Finding the right neighbourhood can be every bit as important as finding the right house.

Fall House Hunting in Peterborough, Ontario

There are advantages to looking at homes during every season, but I particularly like fall showings because they encourage buyers to think beyond how a home looks and start considering how it actually functions.

Look at the drainage.

Think about heating.

Pay attention to the windows.

Walk around the property.

Picture the driveway covered in snow.

And take a few minutes to explore the neighbourhood before heading to your next showing.

You don’t need to know everything about houses before you start looking. That’s part of why having the right professionals around you matters.

My job as a Peterborough REALTOR® isn’t simply to unlock the door and point out the nice kitchen.

It’s to help you slow down, ask better questions, understand what you’re looking at and think about whether a property actually works for the way you want to live.

If you’re thinking about buying a home in Peterborough, Ontario, Kawartha Lakes or the surrounding area this fall, I’d love to help you get started.

Whether you’re a first-time home buyer, relocating to Peterborough, upsizing, downsizing or simply starting to wonder what your options are, we can start with a conversation and build your home search from there.

Carrie Brockhurst | Peterborough REALTOR®
Helping you find home in Peterborough & the Kawarthas.