If you’re considering purchasing a home, attending an open house is a great way to get a feel for the property and the surrounding neighborhood. However, it’s important to know what questions to ask at an open house so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not the home is right for you. We know that not everyone spends as much time at open houses as we do or that some of you have never been to an open house before (WHICH IS OKAY!!) But since we have more experience at these things than the average person, we compiled a list of the best questions to ask when attending an open house straight from the mouths of our brilliant agents!
Some key questions (and, maybe, the most obvious) to ask an agent during an open house are:
-How long has the property been on the market?
-What is the list price vs. the sales price?
-What is the average days on market for similar properties in the area?
-Are there any special assessments or taxes that come with this property?
-What is the HOA fee?
-Is there anything negotiable with the price?
-What are the seller’s motivation for selling?
-Has there been any previous interest in the property?
Our agents thought of some not-so-common questions, that they’ve found to help their clients when deciding to purchase a home:
Kevin: “There’s going to be so much information readily available about the house itself whether it be disclosures, stats, etc. If I’m you I’m asking about the neighborhood what are some local amenities? what is the house near? What are some cool things about the area around the house? I would also ask about any recent improvements or upgrades to the property. Lastly, I would ask about any challenges the sellers had when listing the house. This will give you some valuable insights that you couldn’t find as easily.”
Jenn: “If you really like the house, ask the listing agent about how your offer can stand out against others. Ask them if they want a no contingency offer or seller rent back. Having specific targets like these can help you get that house.”
Kyle: “Make sure to ask the listing agent if they know of any other off market properties that are coming to the market soon. They may have some hidden opportunities that have not hit the market yet that you can take advantage of and be the first to know about it!”
Austin: “Ask the listing agent for disclosures. They can send you home inspections, pest inspections, sewer lateral inspections, or city reports. You want to have a good idea of what is going on with this property behind the scenes and the disclosures will be able to show you that.”
Melissa: “Ask questions of the listing agent- What has their interest level been like? How’s traffic been? That way, when you go to make an offer, you know how competitive it needs to be!”
As you can see, there are a variety of important questions that you could ask when attending an open house. By doing so, you will gain valuable insights into the property, the sellers’ motivation for selling, any potential challenges that may come with the purchase, and so much more. Asking these questions will help you make an informed decision about whether or not the home is right for you.
If you have any questions about what you should be asking at an open house, reach out to us at The C Group- we’d love to chat! You can also follow us on social media @cgroupca to stay up to date with all things home buying and selling!
