Important Questions To Ask At An Open House

Open houses are a nice way to get to know a property. You can take an afternoon, driving around neighbourhoods you love, getting a feel for what you can get at certain price points there and finding some gems in the process. Open houses are a casual affair and you can take your time, touring the home at your pace.

As an added bonus, the listing agent is on-site, which means that you can ask them any questions you might have about the home and the neighbourhood. A good listing agent will be able to answer all of your questions, and if they can’t, they’ll find it out for you and get back to you, which is an invaluable asset to have when making such a big purchase!

Of course, the listing agent will have a one-sheet for you to take and look through while you’re touring the home. This will answer questions such as how old the building is, what is included, etc. But there are plenty more questions that are important to ask at an open house if you’re interested in the home.

Are There Any Known Issues With The Home?

While any known issues are required by law to be brought up once you start getting serious about buying a home, it’s a great idea to ask this straight off the bat so that your emotions don’t get caught up with the home in the first place. Once potential buyers start picturing their lives in a home, it can be way too easy to overlook issues and just want the home.

Why Are The Owners Selling?

This is an important question for a few reasons. First of all, it could potentially open your mind up to something you haven’t considered yet. For example, if they’re moving because they want a better location for work, that might signal to you to check the commute for your own office. Or if they’re looking for a home in a better school district and you have kids, that is something to consider. Or maybe they’re looking for a place with less yard maintenance. Had you considered how much time and energy it would take to care for a large property? Maybe not.

It could be that the owners have to move for work or some other reason and have already bought a house somewhere else. This lets you know that they’re motivated sellers and that could become handy information if you want to put in an offer.

What’s The Neighbourhood Like?

Is this a quiet neighbourhood? A bustling neighbourhood? Are there plenty of young families or retirees? It’s important to know these things because your home is so much more than a physical building.

Have There Been Any Major Renovations Or Upgrades Done To The Home?

This is good to not only get a better sense of the value of the home, but it also can give you a sense of areas that you might want to have a thorough inspection of before buying the home. If the renovations were DIY’d they might not be as good quality as it would be if a professional did it. You’re going to want to know if corners were cut or if something was installed improperly.

Did The Owners Get All Of The Proper Permits for The Addition?

If there have been major changes or additions done to the home, it’s important to know if all of the proper permits were obtained first, because if not, you could be inheriting some issues.

Are There Any Stores Or Restaurants Nearby?

Can you walk to pick up eggs? Is it going to be a fifteen-minute drive across a busy road every time you need to pick up essentials? Does going out for a meal always mean heading across town? These are things that will impact your enjoyment of your home, so it’s a good idea to ask.

Are There Any Parks or Trails Around Here?

If there are parks or trails within walking distance from the home, you’re way more likely to get out and get your body moving on nice days, which is important for your mental and physical health. If you have nature near you you’re more likely to live a more active lifestyle.

How Long Has The House Been On The Market?

If the house has been on the market for a long time it could be a red flag of either unmotivated sellers, a too-high list price, or an issue with the home or neighbourhood. Of course, there are always other factors that could be at play, but knowing how long it’s been on the market at least gives you information, which could help in potential negotiations.

Have You Had Any Offers Yet?

If there have been offers that fell through or were rejected, it’s good to know that. It can give you a sense of how picky the owners are. If there were offers that didn’t go through you can inquire further to find out why and it can give you a better picture of the value of the house and the process of buying with these sellers.

What Is The Seller’s Timeline?

Are the sellers wanting a quick closing or a long closing? You want to make sure that it lines up with what you want and need and if it doesn’t, ask how flexible they are with their timeline. It’s better to know now before you get too excited about the prospect of putting in an offer.

How Much Do They Normally Pay For Utilities?

It’s good to know what you’re getting into in terms of how much you’re going to be paying for utilities and it can also help to open your eyes to whether or not you’ll want to update things in the house sooner rather than later to make it more energy efficient. If they’re paying a lot, it could be a sign that they need new windows or more.

Where Is The Property Line?

This question is important for homes that don’t have a fence. You might think that there is more property than there actually is!