Questions to Ask at Property Tours

Don’t be shy about asking a lot of detailed questions about a property you’re interested in. But keep in mind, it’s the listing agent who’ll be answering your questions, so they might not have as much insight as the actual seller when it comes to specifics. Some important questions you can ask:

• How long has the property been on the market?
• How much did the current owner pay for it? When did the current owner buy it?
• Why is the owner selling?
• How much are utilities?
• When was the last time it was renovated? What was renovated? Who did the renovations—a licensed contractor?
• How many offers have come in?
• How flexible is the price? Will the seller cover closing costs?
• Have they already had an inspection done? Are any disclosures currently available?
• What, exactly, comes with the property? (Don’t assume the gazebo in the back is included.)

While it’s fine to ask general questions about the neighborhood and neighbors, try to be specific. A simple, “What are the neighbors like?” will always get you a, “They’re great!” response, but you can ask specifics to help you gauge whether the building or area suits your lifestyle.

• Are there a lot of families with small children?
• Are the neighbors friendly or mostly keep to themselves?
• Do a lot of tenants have dogs or cats?
• What’s the age demographic?
• What restaurants, cafes, and shops are close by?
• Where is the closest grocery shop?

Questions like these have neither positive nor negative responses and will get you more honest answers.