Moving home is a daunting task – especially for first time buyers. These questions should help you suss out a property to see if it is worth your time.
Before you decide to go and look at houses, you should research all you can. You could research the house in question before you go to see it and that is always a clever idea. However, you should also research things you should know about before you buy. There are questions you can ask any realtor about a house you are interested in which will help you determine If it is the right property for you or not.
What to Ask a Realtor When You View a House
When you go to a viewing, or even when you arrange one, asking these questions can help. Any professional realtor will be glad to answer them for you. The more interest you express in the property, in fact, the happier they will be. The questions to ask before you buy a house are as follows.
How long has this house been for sale?
Given the way houses have been flying off the shelf since 2020, nothing is sticking on the market for long. Anything that sits on the market for longer than a few months could potentially have an issue you failed to notice. If there is something other buyers are noticing but you are not, look a little closer during that appraisal.
Are there any structural faults?
Ask the realtor outright if there are any structural faults to the property. When it comes to selling a property, each homeowner must declare any structural faults. Asking about them outright means you will not accidentally overlook something. The law is the same in most states and countries throughout the world.
Does the property have pests?
Pest infestations are one of the factors which a realtor must disclose to you if you are buying a house. This is because pests can be tricky to get rid of and will cost a lot of money to treat. Nobody wants to become trapped in a home too infested to sell again.
Why are the owners moving?
Finding out why the owners are moving if you want to assure yourself that they did not move on account of an infestation. It they are upsizing or downsizing, it they are moving for work. If the reasons seem suspicious, it is. Trust your gut on this one. If it sounds like a made up story, then it is.
What is the neighbourhood like?
You can ask about the neighbours on either side specifically, but the realtor is under no obligation to tell you about them. The best way to find out about a neighbourhood is not to ask the realtor or the homeowners. The best thing to do is drive through it after dark. Take a couple of trips around the block after hours and you will soon see if it is a good neighbourhood or not.
Where are the property boundaries?
If you want to enjoy your new garden without worry, be sure to ask how much of the space you actually own. Previous owners may have sneakily extended those boundaries so that you could be buying less property than you think.
