Homebuyers usually evaluate a property from their own perspective. They consider the commute, parking, layout, yard, and nearby amenities. But there is another perspective worth considering: the person trying to find and access your house for the first time. Thinking like a delivery driver can uncover practical issues that may otherwise go unnoticed during a showing.

Two homes can have the same square footage, the same number of bedrooms, and even the exact same floor plan, yet walking through them can feel completely different. Buyers sometimes assume that once they have seen one version of a particular layout, they know what another will be like. In reality, the blueprint is only part of what determines how a home feels.

A quiet residential street at 11 a.m. can be very appealing. Driveways are open, curbside parking is plentiful, and getting in and out of the neighborhood seems effortless. But that may not be the street you actually experience after moving in. Before buying a home, consider returning after the workday ends and seeing what happens when everyone comes home.