What questions should I ask when looking at a house?

DH and I made our first appointment to look at houses on Thursday. I have no idea what kind of questions we should ask. Our realtor sent us the listings so we have the basic info about the houses, but I'm not sure what else is important to know. TIA.

Re: What questions should I ask when looking at a house?

here was my list:

House hunting questions

Things to look for:
Double pane windows
Good door insulation
oil burner/water heater age
oil tank below or above ground?
Deck age / quality
Flooring- original wood, or carpet/tile?
Kitchen appliances new?

Rooms in house:
square footage?
Where are the property lines?
What’s the acreage?
# of bedrooms?
has dining room?
Basement?
Attic?
Garage?

Built when?
Copper wiring?
Amps to house?
Gas or oil heat?
Double pane windows?
Municipal water?
Cesspool or sewer?
If cesspool, when last pumped out / replaced?

The current taxes are prior to reassessment. how much may they go up after purchase? How much are village taxes?

Need flood insurance?

The following were last replaced/maintained when?
Roof
Siding
Windows
Heater
Water heater
Oil tank…. Any old ones still in ground?
Cesspool
Deck

Is there a….?
Washer/dryer hook-up?
Dishwasher hook-up?
Wood floors underneath carpeting?

Re: What questions should I ask when looking at a house?

Thanks. I appreciate it.

Re: What questions should I ask when looking at a house?

be sure to ask them why are they moving.. very important..

Re: What questions should I ask when looking at a house?

All of the above and also make sure they have all C.O.'s for any work done to the house. Meaning, permits for extensions, decks, garages, etc.

How many zones do they have for heat or AC?

Are all appliances in good working order?

Re: What questions should I ask when looking at a house?

Also, ask them if the house has ever been inspected previously and if so, were there any action items like termites. If so, did they do anything to make repairs?

Re: What questions should I ask when looking at a house?

Your big ticket items to replace are:

Roof
Burner
Windows
Siding
Central AC Unit (if applicable)

The big ticket upgrades are:
Kitchen
Bathroom

The newer the above things, the better!

Termite issues will be investigated during your inspection. We had old termite damage in our house that did not show on inspection but became evident when we tore down walls in our den.

Re: What questions should I ask when looking at a house?

If you like a house and are thinking of puttin in an offer, call the town and find out the taxes. A lot of the times, the real estate agent doesnt have the correct information.

Drive around the area during the day and at night, during the week and on the weekend to see how the area is.

Check out the school districts on Newsday.com.

Good Luck. You will learn a lot after the first few houses you see. Take a digital camera and a small notepad to jot things down about the houses. After seeing a few of them, you will forget important info.
Scott

Re: What questions should I ask when looking at a house?

You should make a list of what is important to you. What you MUST HAves are. If a house does not meet these expectations, then you can move on. Many of the questions people posted will be addressed at an inspection if you are interested in the house.

Re: What questions should I ask when looking at a house?

Thanks again. Did you ask these types of questions at all of the houses you looked at or only the ones you were really interested in and went back to a second time?

Re: What questions should I ask when looking at a house?

I asked them right off the bat.... since I would never let myself fall in love with a home w/ aluminum wiring