Buyer guide
How to plan a house-hunting trip to Lake Havasu
A good house-hunting trip is short and decisive. The work that makes it that way happens before you leave your driveway.
Short answer
Before you travel to Lake Havasu to tour homes, do four things: get pre-approved or gather proof of funds, write down the real measurements of what must fit, have Paige preview and rule out homes by video, and agree on a short list of four to six. Then plan two days: one to see the homes, one to drive the routes and go back to the best one or two at a different time of day.
Before you leave home
- Get your money in order. A full pre-approval from a lender licensed in Arizona, or proof of funds. If you find the right home on the trip, you can act on it.
- Sign the buyer agreement. Paige shows homes, in person or on video, after a written buyer representation agreement is signed. Read it and sign it before the trip, not in a driveway.
- Write down what has to fit. Boat on the trailer, RV, vehicles. Use real measurements. See how to measure your boat.
- Tell Paige what you want. The Buyer Assessment covers it in a few minutes.
- Let Paige preview. She walks the homes that look right on paper and reports back. Expect some to drop off.
- Watch the video walkthroughs. Rule out what you can from home.
- Agree on a short list. Four to six homes, in an order that makes sense on the map.
What to bring
- Your measurement list
- A tape measure, 25 feet or longer, or a laser measure
- A phone with storage for photos and video
- A notebook. Homes blur together by the fourth one.
- Water, a hat and sunscreen. You will be standing in driveways.
- Closed-toe shoes for walking side yards and slopes
- Your pre-approval letter or proof of funds
A two-day plan that works
Day one: see the homes
- Start early. In warm months, the morning is easier on everyone.
- At each home, start outside. The street, the driveway, the side yards, the garage. Then go in.
- Take the same photos at each house, in the same order, so you can compare later.
- After each one, write three things you liked and three you did not before you drive away.
- End the day by choosing your top two.
Day two: test the finalists
- Go back to the top one or two at a different time of day.
- Drive from each to the launch ramp you would use. If you brought the trailer, tow it.
- Drive to the grocery store and to the highway out of town.
- Sit in the backyard for ten minutes and listen.
- Walk the block.
- If one is right, talk through an offer with Paige while you are still in town.
What to look at that the photos skipped
Use your time on what cannot be judged from home.
- Slope of the street and driveway
- Usable flat space on the lot
- Garage dimensions against your list
- What is behind and beside the house
- Where the afternoon sun hits
- Noise
- The view from where you would sit
The full list is in what listing photos do not show.
When to come
| Timing | Good for | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Weekday, any season | Covering the most ground | Neighborhoods are at their quietest |
| Regular weekend | Seeing normal weekend activity | More traffic near the channel and ramps |
| Holiday weekend | Seeing the city at its busiest | Hard to get around. Lodging is scarce and costs more. |
| Mid-summer | Judging shade, cooling and afternoon sun honestly | Tour early in the day |
If you cannot decide on the trip
That is fine. You have still learned what the photos could not tell you, and your list is sharper.
From home, Paige can go back to a finalist for more measurements or another video, watch for new listings that match, and preview them the day they come on. It is common to make the offer after the trip, on a home Paige walked for you.
The steps after that are in buying Lake Havasu real estate from out of state.
Questions buyers ask
How many homes should I see in one trip?
Four to six in a day is a good number. More than that and they blur together. If the list is longer, ask Paige to preview and cut it before you come.
Should I avoid holiday weekends?
For touring, a regular weekend or a weekday is easier. Traffic is lighter and you can cover more ground. It can still be useful to see a neighborhood on a busy lake weekend before you buy, so you know what it is like at its fullest.
Which airport should I fly into?
Most buyers fly into Las Vegas or Phoenix and rent a car. Each is roughly a two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half hour drive. Check for current regional flights too, since service changes.
Should I bring my boat or RV?
Bring the measurements for certain. Bringing the rig itself lets you drive the route to the ramp and see how streets feel while towing. Do not pull onto a seller's driveway or into a garage without permission arranged ahead of time.