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list of questions to ask when looking at homes
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femalej
LIF Adolescent
Member since 7/11 833 total posts
Name:
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list of questions to ask when looking at homes
how old is boiler? how old is roof? gas or oil?
what other questions are good to ask to get a sense of the quality of the house?
thank you in advance!!!
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Posted 8/8/12 10:53 AM  |
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ElizaRags35
My 2 Girls
Member since 2/09 20494 total posts
Name:
Me
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list of questions to ask when looking at homes
If you're looking in an area w/ cesspools, ask where it's located, if there are any issues, etc.
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| Posted 8/8/12 11:10 AM |
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Dani
Life is about choices.
Member since 5/05 6532 total posts
Name:
Dani
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Re: list of questions to ask when looking at homes
which walls are load bearing (if youre looking to open any)
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| Posted 8/8/12 12:10 PM |
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MommaG
Yay Spring!
Member since 5/05 5133 total posts
Name:
Gloria
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list of questions to ask when looking at homes
If it's in an area with sewers, ask if they are connected.
Natural gas or propane?
How old is the hot water system, CAC
If hardwood floors, have they ever been refinished? How many times? Usually you can get about three refinishings out of hardwood, but engineered flooring I believe cannot be refinished
Do they have all their COs
What are the taxes without any of their exemptions (they might have some that do not carry over to you)
What elementary/middle/high school?
Any easements on the property?
Is heating hot water or hot air.
Was anyone ever killed in the house (I believe if you ask they have to tell you but they don't have to bring it up if you don't) - if this matters to you
Check for updated electric - circuit breakers and not fuses, 200 amp should be good
If I think of more I'll post
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| Posted 8/8/12 10:35 PM |
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Re: list of questions to ask when looking at homes
Posted by MommaG
If it's in an area with sewers, ask if they are connected.
Natural gas or propane?
How old is the hot water system, CAC
If hardwood floors, have they ever been refinished? How many times? Usually you can get about three refinishings out of hardwood, but engineered flooring I believe cannot be refinished
Do they have all their COs
What are the taxes without any of their exemptions (they might have some that do not carry over to you)
What elementary/middle/high school?
Any easements on the property?
Is heating hot water or hot air.
Was anyone ever killed in the house (I believe if you ask they have to tell you but they don't have to bring it up if you don't) - if this matters to you
Check for updated electric - circuit breakers and not fuses, 200 amp should be good
If I think of more I'll post
Just be aware that you should verify all of this information yourself... NY is very "buyer beware" when it comes to real estate laws. And while most sellers won't affirmatively lie, many will give you bad information by mistake.
So for example, elementary school lines change all the time -- a seller can give you an answer from when their kids went to school, but it may not hold true today. So always call the school district and verify yourself the schools that you are zoned for (if it matters to you).
Same with C/O issues. A lot of sellers think they have all of the paperwork for something like an addition or an extra bath or a deck, but in fact they only got an open permit and never closed it out by getting a certificate of occupancy. So you may ask (yourself or through your agent, if you have one) to see copies of the COs, or go to the town yourself to verify that everything's in place.
A seller does NOT have to tell you if someone was killed in the house. You can make a written request for that information, but the seller can decline to provide that information. It's part of the "stigmatized" property law in NY (different states have different rules on this issue). Also, again, this is the type of thing that someone can only answer if they know the history of the house, and the seller may not know.
Taxes you should 100% verify yourself and don't take what's on the listing as truth, because what's on the listing may be incorrect (may include exemptions/abatements you don't qualify for, may not be updated since the time the listing was taken, etc.). You can look on www.mynassauproperty.com if you are in Nassau, or call the Nassau County Assessor's Office. In Suffolk, call the town. Also, if you will be in an incorporated village, you want to verify village taxes.
Many of the items (how many AMPs electric, type of heat, age of roof), will come out in the home inspection, which will you have done before you commit to the deal (by signing a contract and giving a down payment). Some things you can tell by looking (if there are radiators or baseboards, heat is hot water; if there are vents, it's forced air, for example).
It's always good to ask to get an idea, but it's important to VERIFY, VERIFY, VERIFY.
Good luck!
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| Posted 8/9/12 11:35 AM |
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