By: HouseLogic
Published: January 8, 2020
There are no dumb questions to ask a real estate agent.
Home buying seems simple enough: Find a house you like that’s close to work or school, tell someone you want to buy it, and move in.
But there’s more to it than that. You’ll have to find and get approved by a lender who will let you borrow a few hundred thousand dollars, lock in a mortgage rate, figure out how much house you can afford, put in an offer that will entice the seller, get an inspection and an appraisal, pay closing costs and sign a whole bunch of paperwork.
Phew! We need a break just thinking about all the questions to ask when buying a house.
Your real estate agent can help you understand the process. But if you don’t ask questions or get your agent to clarify something you don’t understand, they’re not going to know you’re confused. And you won’t learn anything.
“There are no such things as stupid questions,” says REALTOR® Ryan Fitzgerald in Raleigh, N.C. “If you have a question, ask it, no matter how foolish it sounds in your own head.”
Don’t be afraid. Ask away. You’re making one of the biggest financial transactions of your life, so it’s a good idea to tap into your agent’s expertise.
Here are some questions to ask a real estate agent when buying a house.
1. How Many Clients Have You Helped Purchase Homes?
Before you pick a real estate professional, ask them how many clients they’ve worked with to find a home. Your real estate agent is supposed to be an expert, so one with a lot of experience will be a big help to a newbie home buyer like you.
That’s not to say a newly licensed agent can’t be a good one. But agents learn on the job. The more sales they’ve completed, and the more people they’ve helped buy a home, the more wisdom they have to share with you.
Related: The 14 Best Questions to Ask An Agent
2. How Old Is The HVAC, Water Heater, And Roof Of This Home?
It’s easy to be dazzled by 12-foot ceilings, crown molding, and other aesthetic features, but you need to pay attention to the nuts and bolts of the house. We’re talking the unsexy stuff like the HVAC system, water heater, roof, electrical system, and plumbing.
“Knowing the age and condition of the major items will help you gauge how much your home could potentially cost once you move in,” Fitzgerald says. “The older the home, the more likely you are to have higher maintenance costs.”
These items could have more impact on a home’s value than quartz countertops or hardwood floors, because it’s expensive when they malfunction. A leaking hot water heater can do thousands of dollars of damage. And replacing an aging HVAC system can start at more than $5,000, putting it in the major expense category.