Questions to ask when buying a home

A house is the largest thing most people ever buy, and almost every person in the process is paid when the sale closes. These sets are the questions to put to agents, lenders, inspectors, builders and sellers so that you hear what you need to before you sign.

51 sets · 1,173 questions · each with a note on why

A few to start with

How much parking is dedicated to this unit, and how is it shared?
Ask for the count and for the rules, then visit at the busiest hour of the week rather than at the time of the viewing. Shared lots that work at eleven in the morning can be unusable when the neighboring tenant is trading.
From: Questions to Ask When Viewing a Commercial Property
What tends to make a valuation come in lower than owners expect?
Asking generally rather than about your house gets an honest answer: deferred maintenance, functional layout problems, unpermitted additions, a busy road, or a market that has moved since the neighbours sold.
From: Questions to Ask an Appraiser
What happens to my deposit if I withdraw, or if the company cannot finish?
Ask whether deposits are held in escrow, and what protection exists if the builder becomes insolvent mid-project. This is the question people wish they had asked when a builder fails.
From: Questions to Ask New Construction Builder
How will this house be heated and cooled, and what should it cost to run?
Get numbers, or at least a modelled estimate, rather than adjectives about efficiency. The heating choice interacts with insulation, glazing, and airtightness, so it is a design decision, not a purchase you make at the end, and the running cost is the part you live with.
From: Questions to Ask When Designing a House
What have you built on a site like mine, and what did it cost you in surprises?
Slope, rock, water table, tree removal, access for a concrete truck: these change the number before a wall goes up. A builder who has worked in your area will name specific local conditions, which is a good sign that the site work line is not a guess.
From: Questions to Ask a Builder When Building a Custom Home
Is anyone living there now, and are they on a lease?
A tenant, a relative staying rent free, or an occupant who is not on any paperwork each change what you are buying. Vague answers about who is inside are worth taking seriously.
From: Questions to Ask Motivated Sellers

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