What Are The Most Important Questions To Ask a Home Seller?

Buying a home is a major investment, and you’ll likely spend a lot of time and energy to find the perfect one. You’ll already have a clear image of what you want by the time you’re ready to buy. However, it’s always a good idea to get answers to some investigative questions to help you.

Conversation with the seller and a general review of the public record will help you make a better decision and fill in missing blanks. Here are the most critical investigative questions to ask a home seller.

Why Did You Decide to Sell?

There are many reasons why people decide to sell their houses, including job relocation, moving to a larger place, retirement, or other life events (i.e., death of a spouse, childbirth, marriage, etc.). You may not always get an honest answer; however, you'll be able to determine how much the seller is willing to negotiate.

Depending on the reason, the seller might be open to give a lower price if that means they’ll sell the house faster. In contrast, there may be little room for negotiation if the seller is in no hurry to sell his house.

For How Much Did You Buy The House?

Knowing how much the owner paid for his home helps determine whether its value went up or down since the purchase. It may also help you determine if the seller is willing to go down on price. To illustrate, if the seller bought his house at a low cost, he might be open to negotiating since he’ll still make a reasonable profit out of it. On the other hand, if the seller purchased the house at a high price and more than the offered price, he probably won’t be willing to negotiate.

In case the seller refuses to share this information, you can always check it by yourself in the public records (depending on the country you’re buying in). For example, in the United States, you can find these records at the Recorder of Deeds or similar.

How Long is The Property on The Market?

One of the main reasons for a property to be too long on the market is its super high price. This often indicates a poor marketing strategy. The longer the house stays in the market, the harder it becomes to sell it, and buyers think that there must be something wrong with the property. In such cases, the seller will be more willing to negotiate and motivated to sell the home faster.

Problematic Neighbors and Area Nuisances

Any number of nuisances can affect neighborhoods, including speeding on streets, high crime rate, bright street lights, litter, poor maintenance, annoying neighbors, and all sorts of other noises (i.e., barking dogs, traffic, nearby coffee shops, etc.).

You might not get a specific answer to this question, but it’s always a good idea to try and find out if there are any serious problems before purchasing a property. In addition to that, you might want to visit a nearby police department for additional details.

What is Included?

To avoid disappointment and fill in uncertainty blanks, you need to ask the seller what is included in the sale. Pay close attention to what the seller mentions and keep in mind some items are considered “a fixture” and are generally included in the contract. To clarify, “fixtures” are items directly attached to the home, including window blinds, faucets, cabinets, and others.

Also, pay close attention to items and details you would be upset to find missing. This can include appliances, outdoor equipment, sheds, sound systems, lighting, window treatments, and anything else you consider necessary.

Did You Face Any Past Problem Conditions?

Disclosure rules vary from one country to another. Home sellers must tell you about present problems, but they are not obliged to share any past issues they faced and solved. However, it’s necessary to determine if the seller faced significant issues that might lead to another problem in the future

For example, a leaky roof might have been fixed, but how well the solution worked and did the seller face any leaking issues afterward? Don’t forget to ask how well the problem was solved and try to find out who did the work if you face any similar cases in the future.

What is The Age of Components?

Asking about the age of major components in the property makes you prepared for any big expenses you might face in the future. Start asking about the roof and its age since newer roofs may last for up to 50 years (depending on the materials of course). To clarify, an asphalt roof lasts for about 15 to 20 years, so if it’s already up there for 15 years, you need to be prepared for a considerable expense immediately. Don’t forget to ask about water heaters, plumbing, heating systems, electrical systems, septic, and others.

Conclusion

Listings and marketing material state lots of details about the property on sale, and this includes square footage, the number of bedrooms, baths, balconies, etc. However, talking to the seller about other significant details will help you determine what you’re getting yourself into and help you make a wiser decision before buying.