What’s the Secret to a Successful Buying Process?

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It’s really an awkward feeling to go into someone’s home and look around while they’re not there. It almost feels like breaking and entering! However, it’s even more awkward to buy a house without doing your due diligence and finding out afterwards that there are some aspects about the house that you don’t like or that something is wrong with it! Don't let this happen to you!

1. Take time in the bathroom. It’s the hardest room to go into, but it’s one of the most important rooms you're going to have after you buy the house. Flush the toilet and make sure there are no plumbing problems, and try out the shower and sink as well.
2. Dig through the closets. I’m not saying you need to go check out all their stuff and all their things. The purpose of it is to see if the house has enough storage for you. The idea is to actually do an inventory of your personal items and check the house to ensure it has enough storage for you.
3. Poke around the attic. Disclaimer: Don’t just go poking around someone’s attic - it’s dangerous! However, there are a lot of indicators in an attic that will give you a good idea of the condition of the home. Have your inspector check the attic for termite damage, rodents, and water damage.
4. Be an amateur investigator. If something seems fishy, it just might be. Make sure to ask a bunch of questions before buying. For instance, go to the county building or city hall to ask whether there was an addition made to house and whether the proper permits were pulled. Once you buy the house, any shady things the previous owners might have done become your problem. A lot of these things you have to do yourself if you want to protect yourself against trouble down the road.
   
   
   
5. Meet the neighbors. They have no vested interest in the property you’re interested in, and some of the best information I’ve ever found out about a house in a neighborhood is from the neighbors. If you get in a conversation with them, they’ll likely start rattling off some useful information about the home, whether good or bad. Either way, you’ll probably find some good information from people who live in the area.
6. Ask questions. If it’s there and you don’t know why, just ask! You’re never going to get an answer to anything you don’t ask a question about.

If you’re uncomfortable doing these things, or if you want our help snooping around an interesting property, please don’t hesitate to ask! We pride ourselves on making the buying and selling process as easy as possible for our clients, and we would love to hear from you!