List Of Questions To Ask When Buying A House
Naturally, you will want to choose a great real estate agent that you are comfortable with and feel like they have your best interests in mind. Most real estate experts recommend that you interview at least three agents identified by recommendations from friends and family who have bought or sold a house recently. Here are some questions to ask potential agents to see if they are the right agent for you.
list of questions to ask when buying a house
These questions are a great resource to keep in your back pocket when looking at a home. Bring a checklist before going to a viewing or meeting with your realtor and make sure you get answers to all these important questions before negotiating on a house.
Your real estate agent should be present at any property you view, so they can get a better understanding of what you like and dislike about the home. They can also answer many questions, as well as give you advice on whether the house is a good fit based on your wants and needs.
When attending a scheduled viewing or open house, it's best if you don't bring your children. Younger kids can become bored and need attention at a time when you should be focused on looking critically at each home. Even older children should only look at the houses you deem to be front runners, as they can get excited about features that aren't on your list and then be disappointed that you didn't, for example, choose the house with the swimming pool or the loft in the kids' room.
You should also have a good idea of your preferred locations and stick close to those areas when looking for properties. While you can make updates and renovations to the house, you can't change the neighborhood.
Whether you're determining how much house you can afford, estimating your monthly payment with our mortgage calculator or looking to prequalify for a mortgage, we can help you at any part of the home buying process. See our current mortgage rates, low down payment options, and jumbo mortgage loans.
This is a super-important question to ask before buying a house because it can reveal a lot about the property or the neighborhood. Some reasons are obvious: the seller needs more space for a growing family, has to relocate for a new job, or is downsizing for retirement.
This is a hugely important question to ask when buying a house. The presence of certain substances can pose a threat to the health of you and your family and may even mean your dream house is not worth the risk.
Not sure what questions to ask when buying a home? Be sure to download my FREE home buying workbook over at How to Buy a House in 12 Weeks. Also, be sure to check out the first 10 questions you must ask before buying a house.
So I wanted to write a follow-up with even more questions you must ask before you buy a house! So be sure to read PART 1 of questions to ask when buying a house. And to get all 30 questions, enter your name below to download the first time home buying checklist.
While it may not be listed, asking how old the property is exactly is one of the questions to ask when viewing a house. Not only is this nice to know anyway, but the upkeep of older houses is often more expensive.
If you have specific questions about buying a house in your area, find a real estate agent. You can find a great one using our Endorsed Local Providers (ELP) program. Our ELP team finds and connects you with the best-performing agents across the nation who actually care about your budget and understand your needs.
Some of the questions will let you know whether to walk away, and some will let you know how much money you will need to spend to get the house up to scratch. Some may not be relevant to your house, but hopefully there will be enough to make you feel more confident about the viewing process.
6. If the house has a bay front and uPVC windows, are the window mullions load-bearing or has the load been left to rest on the replacement windows? (This happens a lot and looks like subsidence when the front of the house cannot support its own weight!)
I agree these questions are important especially when you are planning to buy a house. Through asking questions you will get more information which will help you decide. Great blog by the way and thanks for sharing this useful information.
Although I already knew to ask 2/3 of these questions or were not applicable, there were some important ones that I had not thought of, so thank you. Many years ago when I was helping my daughter purchase a unit in Adelaide I was asked to leave by the attending agent because I was being so thorough, opening cupboard doors, checking water pressure, knocking on shower tiles to discover hollow sound and water damage, the other people inspecting property had started following me around, so you can imagine agent was not impressed, we did not buy that property
Buying a house can be daunting at the best of times. Open inspections can also add to the stress as they can often be intimidating; the real estate agents are rushed and there are throngs of buyers you must contend with. As overwhelmed as you might be feeling, you need to look at an open inspection as an opportunity and your best game plan is to arrive prepared. And being prepared means asking the right questions.
Blue Water Mortgage polled some of the top realtors from New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts on the best Open House tips for buyers and came up with this comprehensive guide on how to get the most out of every Open House; what questions to ask a realtor, and how to act amongst all the others looking at the listing.
Fikkert recalls a buyer who spotted a red flag when they realized the sellers listed the property after only owning it for six months. During the walkthrough, the sellers explained they were divorcing. The buyer was relieved to learn there wasn't an issue with the property causing the owners to list and leave.
Knowing how to shut off the water or gas line quickly can reduce major damage if there's ever a leak. Unfortunately, many homeowners don't know the location of these shutoff valves. The worst possible time to figure it out is during an emergency when you need to act fast. To make matters worse, the valves aren't always easily identified. Knowing ahead of time can be a lifesaver and can save you money in repair costs, so be sure to add this to your list of questions.
Because these homes are pricey, they require more substantial loans. Lenders are not apt to give out bigger loans to any but the most qualified buyers. Before you start getting your hopes up about buying a lake house or beach house, check to see that you can get the money to do so.
The last thing you want is to be stuck in a place you are not happy with. This can happen when proper research is not done on what you are getting yourself into. When researching waterfront homes for sale, ask your real estate agent to help with any questions about the HOA.
Another great question to ask when buying a lake home is what are the amenities it provides. If you are buying property on a lake, you should verify that it is a lake that you will gain enjoyment from.
Also, have you seen the lake during the summer? A lake in winter will be a whole lot different than a lake in the heat of the summer. For this reason, I have prepared some of the best tips for buying lakefront property. It is referenced above. Use this as a guide for asking all of the right questions when buying a waterfront home.
Of all the questions to ask when buying a waterfront home, this one may be the most important for your long-term happiness. In the excitement that comes from knowing you can buy a waterfront property, it is sometimes easy to lose sight of why you would want to live on the water in the first place.
About the Author: The above Real Estate information on questions to ask when buying waterfront homes for sale was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-625-0191. Bill has helped people move in and out of many Metrowest towns for the last 34+ Years.
Make sure your agent is knowledgeable about the local market and what other similar homes have recently sold for. This will help you arrive at the right price to complete your real estate transaction. Be sure to get answers to any of your questions about the process of coming up with a list price.
To find questions to ask a listing agent, read our accompanying piece, 30 Questions to Ask a Listing Agent. This is a great resource for sellers who are looking to find the right Realtor for their needs.
If you are considering buying a new house, there are endless questions that run through your mind. You want to make sure the house you are viewing is exactly what it seems and you are purchasing the house that works best for your needs. Asking the right questions will ensure you are making the right decision. This article will discuss all the important questions you should be asking your realtor when thinking about purchasing a new property.
A realtor will also be able to figure out those specific problems that could be impacting the property from selling. If a property has been sitting since it has been listed, a realtor can contact the owners or anyone involved in the listing and figure out what specific problems are keeping that house from being sold. Some common things that turn away buyers are repairs needed for the home, the layout of the property, the location, and a busy or noisy street. Additionally, the realtor can figure out if the home was just overpriced, to begin with. If you come to that conclusion, your realtor can get the owners to lower the price if it is a property you are interested in purchasing.
After you discuss all the questions about the property itself with your realtor, you should ask some questions about the sellers themselves. A realtor would be able to answer questions regarding prior offers to the house and the status of how the house could sell. These sorts of questions are important as it helps a buyer understand how the selling process may go. If the sellers have had many offers on the house below the listing price and have declined, it would show they are pretty set on receiving at least their asking price for the property. On the other end, if the sellers keep lowering the price it could show that they are desperate to sell the property. This would show they would likely be quick to negotiate and sell the property. 041b061a72