One of the questions you should ask is if any major repairs were made to the house.
Photo: Nopparat Khokthong / Shutterstock
Buying and owning a home can cost a lot of money. Not only will you have to pay up front, like a payment to get a home loan, but you will also have to pay the expenses that come later, such as maintenance and insurance.
Therefore, it is important to ask the important questions during the process to save money on these expenses.
1. Why is the house for sale?
This is exactly the type of question that can give you an edge in the home buying process and position your offer to be the seller’s choice.
If it turns out that the house is on the market because the seller got a new job and has to move immediately, you can negotiate based on this information.
You may be able to offer less if the seller has to meet a specific schedule to move out.
Conversely, if the seller is in no hurry to move and is trying to get as much money as possible for the house, he may not want to waste his time if you’re not willing to overpay.
2. Were any major additions or repairs made to the home?
If the house you’re considering has four bedrooms and one of them was a recent addition, it’s a good idea to find out as much as you can about how the work was done, including getting a copy of the permit to make sure the work was done correctly.
Similarly, if the house just had a new roof last year, ask who did the work and see if it came with a warranty from the roofing company.
If something goes wrong, you’ll need to know who to call and you can keep more money in your bank account by not having to shell out for repairs if there are warranties for the work done.
3. Do the appliances come with it?
If you’ve fallen in love with the stove and refrigerator in your kitchen at home, you’ll want to ask if they actually come with it. And it is that the previous owners may have the intention of taking them to their new home, which means you will have to spend more to buy new appliances.
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