Open houses can be a great way to casually search for homes when you are running errands or driving through the neighborhood. If you happen to pass an interesting home holding an open house and you don’t have your agent with you, that’s ok and there is nothing wrong with stopping in to take a peek.

Here are some things to keep in mind if you’re going to an open house by yourself:

• Share your agent’s information with the agent hosting the open house – The seller will usually have an agent hosting the open house and guiding attendees throughout the property. Introduce yourself and let them know you are already being represented by your own agent and share your agent’s information with them. Doing so will allow the agent hosting the open house to follow up with your agent after the open house for feedback and to see whether or not you would be interested in making an offer or if you would like a private showing with just you and your agent.

• Avoid sharing information with the agent that could affect future negotiations – It’s OK for the seller’s agent to know you’re interested in the property; however, you don’t want to give them the impression that you will be making an offer. Also avoid sharing other details like how much you can afford, why you are moving, how quickly you wish to buy or any other information that may affect your leverage negotiating if you should later decide to make an offer on the property.

• Ask questions about the property – Your agent can always ask the seller’s agent questions later, but if you have questions at the time, there’s no reason you can’t ask the seller’s agent. For example, you may want to know how old the roof is, or the last time the floors were refinished.

• Take notes on what you like about the home and why – This will help you identify what features and aspects you like about this house or what features you would like to see in future homes going forward. Later this will also help you recall what you loved and didn’t like about the home. Also, you may want to prepare a list of questions that you will want to ask your agent later.

• Ask the agent if it’s OK to take pictures or a video while you’re in the home – This will help you later remember particular things about the home in more detail and will be helpful to show your agent when explaining what you liked or didn’t like about the home.

• Bottom line – If you see a house that you want to know more about, don’t let the fact that your agent isn’t with you stop you. Make it clear from the start you’re working with an agent, ask questions about the property and figure out what you liked or didn’t like. Once you connect with your agent again, you will have lots of valuable feedback to share with them that will improve your searching process going forward.