When you’re buying a house, it’s important to look further than just the pictures you see online. Though the paint colours and flooring choices may be a big part of how you envision yourself in the home, looking beneath the walls to see what you’ll really be dealing with in the future is even more important. When you buy a house, you also buy what’s hiding in the walls and buried in the yard as well, so consider these questions to ask when buying a house.

Why are they selling?

Though this may seem like a straightforward question, it is an important one. There is always a chance that the current homeowners are selling for less than ideal reasons; this could be things like extensive renovations are necessary or upcoming prolonged construction in the neighborhood.

How flexible is the seller?

No two sellers are the same, and this means that many times their end goals are also different. Though some sellers are willing to take a reasonable offer on their house, other sellers are willing to stay in the property until an offer comes their way that meets their needs. Just because the market determines that the house is valued at one price, some sellers believe otherwise and won’t accept just market value.

How much are the property taxes?

Property taxes are an easily overlooked addition to buying a house, especially for first time home owners that may not be aware of this cost. Take into consideration the past few years of property taxes, and see if there is a trend in their rise or fall.

How old is the roof?

The roof is one of the most important parts of any home, and its age can greatly impact the quality of life within the house. By checking to see if the roof is aged and in need of repair, you will be forewarned of any large upcoming expenses.  

What are the ages of the appliances?

It’s important to check the age of every appliance that comes included with the purchase of the house. This isn’t just limited to the stove and refrigerator, but also washing machine, dryer, furnace, hot water heater, air conditioning system and more.

What is the plumbing like?

A plumbing system can make or break a property. Make sure to investigate what the plumbing system is like, like whether or not it’s on a septic tank, what the pipes are made of, if there are perimeter drains and what the service line to the city pipes is like. 

Have there been any additions made to the property?

Home additions can either be done with great success, or end up causing home owners a lot of grief. If the addition was built correctly then everything should be fine, but be aware of additions that were put together poorly, don’t have adequate heating and ventilation, or don’t connect to the original home in other ways.

Is there a buried oil tank on site?

If you are looking into a house with a significant amount of land, in a smaller township or rural community, be sure to look into the history of the land and whether or not there is/was a buried oil tank on site. The risk of a leak or soil contamination is serious, and can be incredibly costly to repair.

Can you think of more questions to ask when buying a house? For more help in purchasing a home, contact the experts at Mary Roy and Team!