In today’s Boston real estate blog post, we’ll discuss etiquette tips for Boston condo buyers at open houses

New fall inventory and lower interest rates are enticing Boston condo for sale buyers to start touring open houses. If you’re new to the open house circuit, it’s a good time to be familiar with the do’s and don’ts as you move through your weekend stops.

Here are my top tips,

1. Ask before you use the bathroom.

Check with the listing condo agent before you use the bathroom. If you do use the bathroom, make sure you flush, put the seat back down, leave the lights on and don’t leave the staging towels wet and crumpled on the side of the sink.

2. Ask before checking water pressure during an open house.

Ask before testing range burners, running water (especially the shower), turning on the heat, ect … Open houses are for figuring out whether a property has promise. If you like the Boston condo, schedule a showing with your agent during which you can do the aforementioned activities.

3. Ask before going down into the basement.

Ask the agent before going entering the basment of the Boston condo building, for example, entering various points in the buidling, such as the basement, is a security challenge, and agents are trying to keep an eye on who’s coming and going.

4. Try to show up no later than 10 minutes before an open house ends.

It can sometimes be challenging fitting in multiple open house visits in that 11:00-1:00 timeframe. But try to adhere to closing times. Rushing through houses with five minutes to spare—or arriving as the agent is literally leaving the property–is stressful for everyone.

5. Acknowledge the host agent and sign in.

Introduce yourself to the agent who’s hosting, and sign in. New real estate industry guidelines include having open house guests sign in. If you’re a serious Boston condo for sale buyer with an agent, definitely let the host agent know who your agent is—and include that information on the sign-in sheet.

6. Don’t let kids run amuck.

Seeing homes with your kids can be difficult, especially when they’re at the age when they want to jump on furniture and play with the staged accessories. Keep a close watch on the kids’ activities so we can all avoid potential injuries and broken vases.

7. Ask before you march in with your dog(s).

Considerable pre-sale prep goes into getting a property ready to sell, including cleaning or refinishing floors and carpet. If you can’t leave your dog outside or carry her/him in, just ask the host agent if it’s ok to bring your dog through. Similarly, if the host has a no-shoes policy for visitors, either use the booties or remove your shoes.