Buying

Tour the backyard from your favorite chair

A deck’s square footage tells you little about where you’ll actually sit.

Choose your spot

Stand where you would put a chair and look back toward the house. Can someone at the kitchen sink see the table? Is there room to pass behind a seated guest on the way to the yard?

Check the time of day

If dinner outside is part of your routine, ask for a second visit around that hour. A sunny deck at noon can be shaded by supper, and the sounds of a neighborhood change when people get home.