We’ve all done it. We look at real estate online and share it with friends, make comments about how bad the carpet looks or how expensive it is. We joke that there’s jumpscares in the drab living room and the walls are yellowed and peeling. It’s a hobby for some. Unlicensed casual real estate agent, they would dub themselves. I’m here to explain that if you are en route to buying a house, that this practice could hinder your financial progress to making your first real estate purchase.

Let’s clear the air first. People do this for leisure with no intention of purchasing a house, ever, because it’s fun. I’m not addressing them. I’m addressing the people who intend to buy a house but they have not spent the time to sit (well… it’s virtual now) down with a Mortgage Loan Originator to get the proper qualifications. Looking at homes you are not qualified for may be interesting from a research standpoint, but is only postponing your actual purchase.

Here is the deal: looking at houses is actually a very draining activity. There’s lots of details, pictures, disclosures, etc. Some clients drive out of town every weekend to see houses and they come back exhausted. Try looking at 5 homes 80 miles away using both weekends for 5 weeks straight– you are going to feel the burn out.

When you look at properties online, you are subjected to a lot of data, and you only have a finite amount of time to actually process this data. If you intend to buy a house and you’re looking in your area, there’s no telling if you qualify for this house or not until you get the pre-approval letter from the lender.

I’ve insulted people when I claim they are looking at houses they cannot afford. It’s an intrinsic sense of pride to look at things you can afford. They tell me they know they can afford it without needing the qualified letter, because they have means. While this may be true, expressing an interest in a house you want to buy without being qualified makes you behind all the buyers who already got qualified. There’s offer deadlines. Lots of competition. You need to step up and play the game and get qualified. Why give yourself a delayed start in the race?

Getting qualified for a loan or making your cash liquid for purchase tells sellers you are serious in purchasing a house. It also tells you what price you should be looking in. Given your time is finite, looking at homes casually drains the energy required to actually look for houses you can afford. It’s OK to look at castles for sale but think of yourself and plan ahead if you are serious about buying real estate.