Buying a home is a huge financial and lifestyle decision. Yet, many people rush through the process without asking the questions that really matter. In most home-buying guides, you’ll see a basic list of questions, such as the square footage, number of bedrooms, and the school district, but they don’t dig much deeper.
Unless you’re an expert, it can be hard to know what questions to ask when buying a home. This guide gives you critical but often neglected questions to ask your real estate agent when buying a home, inquiries for the seller (through their agent), and investigations you can make independently. These questions go beyond surface-level information to uncover potential problems and hidden costs.
Questions About the Property’s History and Condition
Top questions to ask when buying a house include inquiries about the home’s past:
- Why is the owner leaving? Dig into issues like problems with the neighborhood, the property itself, neighbors, and turnover.
- Has the home ever had foundation issues, and what repairs were made? Ask for copies of engineering reports, permits, and warranties.
- Have there ever been water damage, flooding, or moisture problems? Look for evidence of this yourself, such as stains, odors, or recently replaced carpeting or drywall, especially in the basement.
- Have there been any issues with pests? What was done to resolve the problems?
Questions About the Structure and Major Systems
Make sure that your “questions to ask when buying a home” checklist includes:
- What major systems have been replaced, and when were they replaced? Are they still under warranty? Ask the same questions about the appliances.
- How old is the roof? Have there ever been any leaks? When was it last inspected? Have you noticed any drips or gaps in the gutters or any water accumulation around the foundation?
- What type of wiring does the home have, and what is the electrical service amperage?
- How old is the HVAC system, and when was it last serviced?
- What type of insulation does the home have, and what condition is it in? Are there any areas where insulation is missing?
- What type of pipes does the home have? Does the home have a sump pump, and how often does it run?
If you wind up making an offer on the home, many of these questions will be answered in the home inspection, but if you’re comparing a home with others before making an offer, the answers to these questions can help you make a decision.
Questions About the Neighborhood
You’re not just buying a house; you’re moving into a neighborhood and becoming part of a community. Your list of what questions to ask when buying a house should include the following:
- What’s the typical noise level in the neighborhood? You can investigate this by visiting at different times.
- What are the neighbors like? Consider knocking on some of the neighbors’ doors to ask how they feel about living there.
- Are there any planned developments, road construction, or upcoming zoning changes? You should be able to get this information from the municipal or other local government.
- Is the area improving or declining? Look at business activity, planned transit lines, property maintenance, major renovations, and new homes being built.
- What are the property taxes? Are increases expected? You can usually get this information from the seller or from county records, including the history of increases over time.
- How are the schools in the area? Your list of what questions to ask when buying a house must include questions about the school quality. This will be critical even if you don’t have children, because school quality affects resale value. Go the extra mile to research this.
Utilities and Ongoing Costs
Included in what questions to ask when buying a house are basic homeowner expenses. Prepare yourself for budgeting with these questions:
- What are the actual utility costs? Request bills for at least a year.
- Is the home connected to municipal water and sewer? If not, ask about the age and condition of the well and the septic system, as well as the water filtration system and how recently the water was tested.
- What’s included in the HOA fees? Have they been increasing, or are there plans to increase them?
- What’s the cell phone reception like, and what are the options for Internet connectivity? This is especially important in rural areas.
Questions for Your Real Estate Agent
Some of the top questions to ask when buying a house can be answered by your real estate agent:
- What should I know about this property or neighborhood that’s not obvious on the surface?
- How long has this property been on the market? Is that typical for the current market conditions?
- Have there been price reductions on the property, and what does that indicate?
- What repairs or issues did you notice during this showing?
- What have comparable properties sold for recently?
- Do you think this area is improving or declining?
Questions About Building Permits
Your “questions to ask when buying a house” checklist should include questions about work that’s been done on the house in the past:
- Did the homeowners get permits for all renovations and additions? Ask to see the permits and the final inspection reports. Be extremely cautious about unpermitted work.
- Do you have copies of the plans for renovations and additions?
- Are the fences around the property in the right position? Where are they relative to the property line? Is there an existing site survey that shows where the property lines are?
Questions to Ask Through Independent Research
What questions to ask when buying a house includes information you can get from independent sources, such as:
- Neighborhood crime statistics, including information about registered sex offenders.
- Flood risk (this information is available through FEMA).
- Building permits and violations (get these from your local building department).
- School ratings (use multiple sources to evaluate the schools, including visiting the schools personally).
Red Flags to Watch For
Ideally, verify information using several different sources. Things to watch out for when talking to the seller or the seller’s agent are:
- Vague or evasive answers.
- Inconsistencies between statements the seller makes and documentation on file.
- Unexplained recent repairs, such as new drywall in some places but not others, hastily patched cracks in the foundation, and bathrooms that look a little too fresh and perfect.
Asking a lot of questions can feel impolite, but a home is an enormous investment, and you should make sure you know what you’re buying. If you feel nervous, ask your real estate agent to handle some of these questions for you; they’ve gone through this process many times and are accustomed to getting precise information in order to protect their clients.
