Through your agent, try to ensure the sellers have an inventory that sets out their... 3. Lastly, and somewhat cheekily, what’s the lowest price you can get this house for? If so, who carried them out and did they provide a warranty? Be sure to ask. 14. Unless you’re paying cash, the sticker price of a house is not the actual amount you’ll... 2. 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following me around, so you can imagine agent was not impressed, we did not buy that property, Your email address will not be published. 18. 10 More Questions to Ask Before Buying a House . Even if you’re buying the property as-is, you need to know what you’re getting yourself into. What council tax band is the property in? There are certain aspects of a property that can make it cheaper to buy, but at the same time, these features can hurt the value of your property when it comes time to sell. You know you’re getting the building itself, but beyond that, it’s not always clear. When selling a house, it is normal for the new homeowners to get anything affixed to the walls, floors, or ceilings, unless otherwise specified. 33. 8. Have there been any major works to the property? Great blog by the way and thanks for sharing this useful information. 23. Your real estate agent can help you understand the process. If they can’t give you a precise answer – preferably with documentation – get expert opinions. To take this list with you as a convenient, easy-to-use notebook to compare multiple house viewings, click here to buy my book, the Homebuyer’s Journal*! This is one of the most important questions but many people don’t think to ask it, says Buyer’s Agent Stefan Miraglia, Director of IPC Property in Adelaide. 17. Condition. How old is the property? What kind of drainage system does the property have – mains drainage or a septic tank? If you don’t ask this question when buying a house, you might go with whatever number a … Are the windows sound? Will any of the glazing need to be replaced? “I always ask the agent’s opinion,” he said. And what’s included in the sale? I just discovered my list in an old handbag, so I decided to turn it into a post to help anyone else who might be worrying about what to look out for when viewing a house. 25. Are there any trees growing within 5 metres of the property? Here is a checklist of questions to ask your realtor before making an offer to buy a house: Why is the seller is selling? “You want to make sure the house you are buying is fairly priced compared to the rest of the local market and you are not overp… So ask LOTS of questions so you can be as happy with the house over the long term as you are at first sight! This website uses cookies. But make sure to independently verify that with the local council. Posts may contain affiliate links, however, all my views remain impartial. 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. 32. I’m glad the list is helpful . Are the walls structurally sound? Does the boiler use a water tank? Hey Claudia, thank you for your kind comment! You’ll have plenty of questions to ask after you’re in the middle of the transaction, and it’s never too early to ask … “It was lovely seeing all that neighbourliness,” she said. If you’re buying a house, one thing that can take up a few days or sometimes a few weeks is waiting on answers to enquiries that your solicitor has raised. Price. I’m going to print this page out for reference , It really is overwhelming sometimes, isn’t it? . 28. What are the right questions for a buyer to ask when considering purchasing a piece of rural land for sale?It all depends on the objectives the buyer has in mind when making their purchase. Buying a house can be daunting at the best of times. 20. “And it makes you realise, all over again, how important good neighbours are to the quality of your life. Are there, or have there been, any boundary disputes with neighbours? Timing your sale 1. Are you thinking of listing your house in the near future? Selling a house is a big undertaking. 5. Try to find out how much others have paid to buy the freehold. 26. The burden is generally on the real estate agent to keep their client, whether buyer or seller, fully informed and educated as to what’s happening. However, it's not always easy to know what questions to ask. If you are buying or selling a property, you want to make sure your conveyancing solicitor can provide what you need. (Can you see it, smell it, or is there a smell of fresh paint that could be a trick to cover up damp?). Look for cracks, but also look for evidence of cracks being covered up by wallpaper... 4. It’s important to learn as much as you can about the house before you buy to avoid any surprises when you move in. The seller assumes the buyer will get a mortgage. 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. First, ask the seller. “You also need to make sure any work has been council-approved, and well done, and whether there are still any warranties [that are] valid,” she said. “With later purchases, I did, and sometimes the previous owners would even come around and reminisce about their time in the house,” he said. What is the neighbourhood like, and are there any social problems to be aware of? These are six key questions to ask the agent which can reveal more about a property than you might think. 38. What type of fuel does the boiler run on – mains gas, oil, bottled gas, solid fuel? If it’s thatched, when is the next re-thatching due? “For instance, if you’re a hipster, you don’t want to be surrounded by mums and dads and kids. What’s the reason for selling? You can research the property’s history and location online, as well as look up crime statistics in the area. 1. That can be very telling!”. !’ and then fall silent, and leave them to justify it. If so, when was it done? No home is perfect beneath the surface, and few know this better than your real estate agent. “Sometimes an agent will volunteer that information to motivate the purchaser, and they might not say otherwise. Of course, the agent may choose not to answer or, if a property is up for auction, say that they’re waiting to see what the market says, explains EPS Property Search director Patrick Bright. Checking for sex offenders in the area isn’t something I … 2. Six questions you should ask a real estate agent when buying a home, Four ways to buy a home in an expensive suburb. You need to find this out to have a better sense of its correct price, advises Finderskeepers property consultants’ Lisa Bradley. What’s included in the sale? (This happens a lot and looks like subsidence when the front of the house cannot support its own weight!). What goes on the street a various times (check in the morning, afternoon weekends)? Does the property have any lead pipes fitted? What did they pay for the home? 35. Some may not be relevant to your house, but hopefully there will be enough to make you feel more confident about the viewing process. When I was viewing houses to buy, I was worried about getting it wrong – not asking the right questions, or missing something important. Are there any restrictive covenants applying to the property? 12. Phew! How’s the broadband service in the area? It is vital to know if the sellers are serious or toe-dippers. The Best UK Cashback Apps To Save Money On Supermarket Shopping, Cats And Affection Eating - What You Can Do. 4 min read After saving for a deposit, spending weekends running high and low to open house after open house you’ve finally done it, you’ve found the home of your dreams.. Top 10 Questions to Ask your Real Estate Agent Questions to ask a real estate agent when buying property. Prepare yourself with these 10 questions to ask your home seller. Unlike the seller, the estate agent is legally obliged to tell you if they know of any serious problems with the property. 3. The last thing you want is to buy a house next to a registered two doors down. “They tend to know the area well and how one suburb compares with the next, how this street is next to the others, and whether it’s in the best location for the price that’s being asked.”. Is the guttering sound? Is there enough storage space for you? If so, where is it and what condition is it in? As a general rule Australian properties usually sell up to 10% less than their original asking price. Moreover, some of these questions are the kind that you can answer without having to do a viewing. Has the home been used as a drug house? 19. 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 is a great question to help establish rapport between buyer and seller, and is also best asked near the end of the buying process. Do the ground floor windows have locks, and are any of the keys missing? Who am I speaking with? 37. So yep, ask the right questions and be forearmed before you buy, and it can work out well for you! 34. 6. 9. When buying a home, it pays to approach the purchase with as much information as possible. Having such information can put you in a much stronger position when trying to negotiate a lower price on a property. (Appliances, light fittings, soft furnishings.). But if you’re a parent, then you’ll want to know there are other kids around, that your kids will like the area, and that there’ll be willing childminders around!”. 13. Click to get this checklist as a househunting guidebook! Which brings me to my second point: always get a home inspection. What are your total costs? The selling agent is your key point of contact throughout the process, and may hold more information about the property than can be gleaned from the listing or an inspection. First, it’s important to get the reason why the homeowners are selling … What condition are the power sockets and switches in? 1. 31. “But you can always follow up by asking if they would accept a pre-auction offer.”. Why are you moving? Any nuisances or hazards (traffic congestion, noise, crime, … Is the house looking straight and solid? Knowledge is power and asking your estate agent the right questions could save you a great deal of money and heartache in the long run.. It may also be worth asking the agent if there are any development applications in the area that might affect the property, says Bradley, perhaps potentially blocking views or overshadowing. Q: How Long Have You Lived Here? Let me know what you think about this list, and add your suggested questions in the comments below. The selling agent is your key point of contact throughout the process, and may hold more information about the property than can be gleaned from the listing or an inspection. Finding the right home involves research, so you’ll need to ask the right questions. “How do you know whether it’s worth bidding on if you don’t know whether it’s within your budget?”, “When they finally tell you, respond with ‘How much? Your email address will not be published. 1. Buying a house is exciting. 1. Navigating This Important Tax Form, 3 Things To Help You Stick To Your Savings Goal, The Best UK Refer A Friend Schemes & Referral Codes. I like to call them by their name throughout the... What is the address of the house you want to sell? Through asking questions you will get more information which will help you decide. I agree these questions are important especially when you are planning to buy a house. For a full list of questions to ask the estate agent, visit our guide to making an offer on a property. 29. “Either way, that can be valuable,” says Matthew Smythe of Belle Property Neutral Bay. If leasehold, how long is left on the lease? “You should question the agent on why they think the house is worth what they are selling it for,” Miraglia says. Is there any asbestos in the property, or has there ever been an asbestos survey carried out? You can also ask them how long the property's been on the market for and whether anyone's made an offer. He might give you this valuable information even before you make a deal. And you won't learn anything. However, it never hurts to ask when viewing a home. Try viewing at different times to hear how much of the neighbours and/or street noise you can hear. 15. If you find a house you really want to purchase, then don’t be shy to ask your real estate agent whether the seller is ready to reduce the price. 22. 1. Who owns the property and what’s their story? It’s hard to analyze a deal when we... How many bedrooms, bathrooms does it have? This one is pretty important. These are six key questions to ask the agent which can reveal more about a property than you might think. You need to work out if you’ll be living with people like you, or whether they won’t suit you. 1. What kind of roof does the property have? Were any extensions or other works carried out under the correct planning permissions? What type of gas and electricity meters are there installed – are they credit meters, prepayment (coin or key) meters, standard or smart meters? What’s the reason for the sale? Ask your Realtor, ask contractors, ask your home inspector. Some will be suggested by the information you already have about the … Some states require home sellers to disclose these things while others don’t. Is there enough storage space for you? (Useful to know for figuring out whether there may be lead paint, asbestos or other banned materials used in its construction. This could either validate the price they’re asking – or show it up as completely unrealistic. If not, why not? Learn how your comment data is processed. Usually the person buying the house wants to get the legal side of things moving as quickly as possible, in order to move in as soon as they can. Can I Pay Child Support Directly To My Child? 27. “What are the upfront costs, what are the costs if my property doesn’t sell, how negotiable is the agent on their commission fee and can they justify their commission f… It’s also good to find out how motivated a vendor is to sell. Ask to see the fuse board – is the wiring up to date? Are there sex offenders in the neighborhood? 40. Popular Reads 3. Here are the questions to ask. Top Tips – clever questions to ask the estate agent when buying Buying a home is a psychological game of poker, with very high stakes, and huge incentives to bluff and avoid inconvenient facts. Where is the disclosure statement? I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Have a look at the finished product here. If they used a loan, they may have an outstanding balance and still be paying off the loan, even after selling the house. Are the walls structurally sound? Of course, every buyer wants to know how much their property might sell for, but what about how much you’re forking out to get the deal done? Which way does the garden face, and are there any parts of the garden that get no sunlight throughout the day? When is the best time of year to sell a house? Use this app to track the sun’s movement over the property without even viewing it! So be sure to read PART 1 of questions to ask when buying a house. If you know in advance that the home has structural issues or … Here are some questions to ask. ), 39. We need to know who we are speaking to. When was it last serviced? What Is A W2? 30. We need a break just thinking about all the questions to ask when buying a house. Is there any plant life growing in it, or does it need any repair work? In a seller’s market, it may be more important to act quickly and stick to the most essential questions. 10. Required fields are marked *. What condition is the roof in – does it sag, are there any missing tiles or is there evidence of damage? Are all of the lights working? If you’re a first-time house buyer, you might be excited about making your big purchase, but you might feel a bit overwhelmed too. You need to ask lots of questions to help you negotiate with the seller for a good price. I also wanted to thank you – I have been looking at many similarly titled lists, but have found yours by far the most elaborate and helpful one. Is there any evidence of damp? Residential agent Jason Smit from Brisbane’s Sparrow Real Estate says it’s important to find out exactly how much the whole process will cost, and not simply settle for the first quote an agent provides. window['fe-co-email-widget-fe-co-email-widget_1'] = {"position":"middle","hasSeparators":true,"theme":"domain"}; Agents, particularly if they’re local to the area, can be a veritable font of knowledge that’s very useful to tap into, believes Raine & Horne Petersham director Frederico Fraga-Matos.
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