Buzz
The house buying process is full of challenges. There's the money you’ll spend. And the research to be done. Plus, the emotional weight of turning your family’s needs and dreams into a physical space. One of the toughest parts, however, is touring potential homes and deciding whether it’s the right fit—or a costly mistake that could haunt you.
Having a reliable real estate expert by your side is crucial, but gathering enough information can also help you rule out properties from the start. Each home tour is a chance to inspect and spot any obvious flaws that could narrow down your options. But to do this effectively, you need the right tools—physical tools. So, here’s a list of must-have house hunting essentials to add to your ‘open house toolkit’ for every property visit during your search for the perfect home.
Measuring Tape
There are many reasons why being able to take measurements is essential when touring a potential new home:
To verify that the home's listed square footage is accurate. It's not uncommon for there to be significant differences between the listing and the actual size, so measuring along the way is crucial.
To ensure your furniture will fit through doors, up stairs, and into its intended room. This also applies to items on the walls, like that massive television you just purchased.
To check the space available for appliances in the kitchen and laundry areas if you're bringing your own or planning to replace older models.
Closet dimensions. If you're told the home has “walk-in” closets, they should measure at least four feet by four feet. You might also want to compare these to your current closets to ensure everything fits.
Ceiling height. There's a notable difference in the feel of a room with eight-foot ceilings versus one with nine-foot ceilings.
A quick note: You can use a smartphone app or a high-tech laser measure for rough measurements, and that’s fine for casual estimates. However, if you need more precise measurements, it’s best to use a traditional metal tape measure.
Humidity Sensor
Water damage and leaks can be easily concealed. A fresh coat of paint, quick drywall or floor repairs, or even a rug strategically placed can mask moisture issues. These problems can often go unnoticed, quietly building up in walls or attics over the years before they’re detected.
Rather than just relying on your own observations and the seller’s assurances, bring along a reliable moisture meter to check moisture levels as you tour a home. You may want to start by measuring a dry area as a reference, but most moisture meters have a scale ranging from 1 (completely dry) to 100 (soaked). A moisture reading above 17 generally indicates cause for concern, with the severity increasing as the number rises.
Spirit Level
Very few homes—new or not—are perfectly square. Over time, houses settle, materials shift slightly, and minor imperfections can appear that the eye can’t catch. Therefore, it’s unrealistic to expect perfectly 90-degree angles or flawless floors in any home. However, significant floor slopes, wall warping, or uneven kitchen cabinets can be strong indicators that the property could be a money pit.
A pocket level is an easy tool to pull out in every room for a quick inspection, helping you spot potential foundation issues or other major concerns.
Camera
This might be an obvious one: Always bring something to take photos with. Your phone works just fine, as long as you organize and label the images clearly for easy reference later. Take plenty of pictures from different angles to help refresh your memory when it’s time to decide. It’s important because you don’t want to rely on the listing photos, which can often be staged or even misleading.
Flashlight
A compact flashlight will come in handy during your house tour. You'll encounter dim spaces behind furniture and appliances, dark basements or crawl spaces, and odd corners where you’ll want to check for spiders, mold, or perhaps even gateways to alternate realities. A bright light will also help clear shadows that could be hiding—or even create—potential issues.
Water Pressure Tester
It’s a bit cliché, but it’s definitely a good idea to check the water pressure when considering buying a house. Low pressure can affect daily life—longer, frustrating showers, slower laundry cycles (possibly requiring extra rinses), and could be a sign of plumbing problems.
That’s why a pressure gauge is a great tool to have. These devices usually screw onto a hose connection and measure water pressure in pounds per square inch (psi). The normal range for pressure is between 40 and 80 psi, with the ideal range being around 50 psi. Any reading outside of this range should raise a red flag that needs attention before you commit to that down payment.
Outlet Tester
You won’t be able to peer through the walls of your potential home, and just because the outlets appear new and sleek doesn’t guarantee the wiring is up to date. However, you can use an outlet tester to quickly check a few outlets to ensure everything is working correctly. Ideally, you should see a reading between 110 and 120 volts on each standard outlet, and you should not hear or see any alarms when testing the outlet.
Purchasing a home is a major decision. Bringing these tools with you to open houses or property tours with your agent can save you significant time and effort by helping you spot issues before they turn into your responsibility.
