What to do when you’re touring a model home

Uptownes by Geranium Homes

That said, we’ve compiled a few things you should keep in mind the next time you’re touring a model home or model suite:

1) Always ask about upgrades

Nautique by Adi Development Group

The advertised starting price could be in the $300,000s, but you might be walking through a $1 million home. It’s no secret that builders and developers include upgrades in their models - it’s just important to be aware of it while touring.

Don’t be afraid to ask a sales representative which features are standard and which are upgrades. On some occasions, the builder or developer will only include standard finishes so you get to experience what the base model would be like.

2) Picture your furniture and stuff in the space

Uptownes by Geranium Homes

Interior designers in a hot market like Toronto’s practically have celebrity status these days. It’s not uncommon for builders and developers to leverage an interior design firm’s reputation to help promote the project.

Whether the interior designer or another hired decorator put the model together, you should recognize that unless you’re hiring a professional, your space isn’t going to look like it popped out of a magazine. Plus, model homes never have stuff. There will be furniture and minimal accessories, but not random stuff like you own. So, picture your furniture and stuff in the space and use the model’s decor more for inspiration.

3) Ask about ceiling heights

Pier 27 by CityZen and Fernbrook

This applies more to model suites in presentation centres. Depending on the presentation centre, the model suite will either have a low ceiling, high ceiling, or no ceiling at all. Of course, there is a chance the ceiling will be the advertised height.

If the advertised height is 10’, but it looks low, it’s probably because the presentation centre doesn’t have high enough ceilings. If the ceiling seems really high, it’s because higher ceilings make it seem like the layout is more spacious. And that’s also the reason to not have ceilings at all.  

4) Ask about windows too

Bayside Toronto Presentation Centre model

Model homes are built on site so you don’t have to worry much about the windows, but a model suite in a presentation centre either won’t have windows or will be built in a corner of windows.

Like the ceiling height, the window placement in a model suite is determined by the developer and the presentation centre. Always ask where the windows will be relative to the floor plan, where the balcony doors will be (if there is a balcony), and if they are floor-to-ceiling or not.

5) Actually use the space

SweetLife Condos by Your Home Developments

It’s rare to see people opening cupboards, sitting on couches, having a seat at the dining table. These are all things you would do on a regular basis in your own home, so why not try it out. Just make sure you’re being respectful of the space and other homebuyers; don’t decide to test out the bathtub or kick off your shoes and put your feet up on the coffee table.

You should also touch the finishes. Feel the countertops, open doors, open windows, turn the faucets, run your hand along the handrail as you go up or down stairs. It’s important that you feel the quality and sturdiness of how the model is put together because that’s the quality you will see in your new home.

Next time you’re touring a model home or model suite, keep these five things in mind!