Home Buying Tips: 4 Questions You Must Ask Before Buying a House
So, finally, you have decided to buy your home sweet home. That's amazing! Having a house that you can call your own, where you can live peacefully and enjoy quality moments of life, is every human's desire. That's why people get enthralled when the moment of becoming a house owner comes. But it is important that you don't let this moment become a disaster by buying a house that's not anywhere near your dream home.
Don't fall for the apparent beauty and extravaganza of a house. Sometimes, beautiful houses also have hidden pitfalls that can later make you regret your decision to buy that place. So, if you don't want to waste your money and destroy dreams, you should do thorough research and ask your real estate agent and seller as many questions as you can.
In case you don't know, here we have come up with five important questions that can save you from a bad experience:
What’s included in the sales price?
You must be clear of everything and avoid the possibility of any gray area in the deal. Ambiguities can later end you up in loss or add up your estimated buying cost. So, it is always better that you know what’s included in the sales price beforehand.
Most of the time, fixtures and fittings, like faucets, cabinets, etc., are included in the sales prices. Like, if you look for a flat for sale in Dubai, all these fixtures will come along. But what if your seller tries to take advantage of the gray area and doesn’t include these things in the price? Sometimes, dryers, washers, and stoves are also included in the cost, but it all depends on your seller and state’s law. So, be sure of all these things in the beginning; sit with your seller, negotiate things, and make a list. This move will help you a lot to avoid unwanted surprises.
Why is the owner leaving?
People leave their houses for many reasons, maybe they are relocating overseas, having a change of job, want to buy a bigger house, and so on. All these reasons are common and don’t sound like a big deal. But all house owners don’t sell their properties due to these naive reasons. Sometimes, big trouble is in the bucket that ends them up deciding to leave their house. You need to know that reason — that’s why you should ask why the seller is leaving.
This question might save you from not knowing a negative factor about this place, like noisy neighbors, underground pipe leakage, unsafe neighborhood, or anything that you don’t want to face. Don’t just rely on the estate agent or the seller’s words. Go to neighbors and seek their views and inside stories.
How has the property value performed over the years?
Everybody wants to own a property that’s value increases with time, not the one that goes down. Even if you think you would never move from this house, you can’t say anything about the future. And when the day comes when you want to sell your home, you would definitely want to get the best return on investment. So, that’s why you should know how the house value has performed over the years?
Make sure that you know the market value of the locality and how it has impacted the house’s value. Did it fluctuate? Did it ever go down? Did it go up slowly? Was there ever a sudden spike in the price? These questions will play a vital role in making your future secure and helping you become an owner of a secure investment property.
Were there any major changes and renovations?
You surely don’t want to clean the mess of the former owner after buying a house that doesn’t comply with the planning laws. Sometimes, people add a room or change the front without the consent of the local planning authority. You can end up in legal trouble if you buy any such house that has undergone changes without following local building codes.
You can avoid this situation if you act diligently and analyze the property carefully. Compare the house’s current structure with the property records and see if everything is according to the records or not. After all, you don’t want to own a house that you later have to demolish due to unlawful construction of the seller.
The Bottom Line
A house costs a lot, and you might spend your life’s savings to buy it. So, you shouldn’t make hasty decisions. Invest some time and energy to know about the house. It will save your neck from getting entrapped into unwanted expenses, disasters, and messes.
