View All Learning Articles
Is March 2024 a Good Time to Buy a Home?
The 100% HELPER Act Mortgage
The $25,000 Downpayment Toward Equity Cash Grant
The Biden $10,000 First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit
14 Grants & Programs for First-Time Home Buyers
View All Research Articles
170+ Mortgage Statistics
Generational Home Buyer Statistics
Annual HMDA Home Buyer Study
Most Popular Places for Vacation Homes In Every State
Gen Z Home Buyer Distribution By Location
Younger Millennial Home Buyer Distribution By Location
Older Millennial Home Buyer Distribution By Location
ZIP Code Invasions: Gen Z
ZIP Code Invasions: Younger Millennials
ZIP Code Invasions: Older Millennials
Dan Green
Since 2003, Dan Green has been a leading mortgage lender and respected industry authority. His unwavering commitment to first-time home buyers and home buyer education has established him as a trusted voice among his colleagues, his peers, and the media. Dan founded Homebuyer.com to expand the American Dream of Homeownership to all who want it. Read more about Dan Green.
How We Make Money
Homebuyer.com is your trusted guide to homeownership. Since 2003, our team has offered real-world expertise and advice to tens of millions of U.S. home buyers. Our content stands on its integrity: it's factual, unbiased, and free from outside influences. Read more about our governing editorial guidelines.
We also exist for profit and want our readers to understand how we make money.
Homebuyer.com is a mortgage-company-affiliated publisher. We earn compensation when you click specific links on the website, or apply for a mortgage with Homebuyer.com or partner listed in our comparison tables. Our partners compensate us differently, so we randomize our tables to protect our readers from steering. We may also earn compensation for advertisements on the site, which are indicated clearly. Note that limitations in our software, whether we originate mortgages in your area, and credit factors may affect the offers and comparison tables you see on various parts of this site. We do not include offers for every mortgage product available. Someday, we hope we will.
Certified Accurate
Your trust matters to us. This article was thoroughly checked for accuracy as of February 3, 2024. Homebuyer.com ensures every piece of information we share reflects the latest in mortgage standards. Learn more about our commitments to our reader in our editorial guidelines.
Open houses are a valuable tool for home buyers. You can view a property in a low-pressure environment, and you can usually take as much time as you need.
One of the biggest perks is talking to the listing agent and going through your questions to ask at an open house.
You can find out about the sellers and their motivations for moving, and get vital information about the property that might not be on the listing.
Whether you’re buying a house out of state or moving one neighborhood over, asking questions is critical at an open house, so come prepared. Research the home, the neighborhood, and know the listing details. This will help you form specific questions.
Be confident when talking to the seller’s agent, but don’t give too much information about your homebuying goals, finances, and house-hunting experience thus far. Those details are for your real estate agent to know and use in future negotiations.
Here are the questions you’ll want to ask while you’re at an open house:
It could be a new job opportunity, moving closer to friends or family, or making a profit. In some cases, the seller could be unhappy with the home.
Knowing the reasons why the homeowner is selling can give you a lot of information. It can point you toward potential pitfalls of the home and provide you with guidance when submitting your offer. If you know there’s a job opportunity looming, the seller could be pressed for time — and submitting a quick offer could help you get the home.
Knowing how long a home has been on the market is critical when you’re considering an offer. A home that’s been on the market a long time could signify something wrong with the home or that the seller is unwilling to negotiate.
You can also expect to have more negotiating power if the house has been on the market longer than usual. Sellers are typically more receptive to a lower offer or willing to pay your closing costs if they’re having a hard time selling the home.
It’s good to find out if the seller has had offers in the past, if they were rejected or fell through, and why that happened. This can give you an idea of how picky a seller is and how open to negotiations they are.
You also want to know if there are current offers on the table. If you know you’re bidding against other buyers, you’ll be able to put your best offer forward. If you’re not bidding against other buyers, a lower offer might be better received.
Sellers are required to disclose any structural or code issues they know exist on the property, so be sure to request an official seller’s disclosure from the listing agent. This disclosure will point you toward more specific questions you want to cover.
Ask the agent about any renovations that were done to the home, especially ones done by the homeowner. These are more likely to have issues down the road. Plus, they could create a code violation if they didn’t get the proper permits.
Ideally, any large renovations would have been done by a licensed professional. To be safe, you’ll always want to get a professional home inspection before closing on the home. They’ll let you know about existing issues and what needs to be repaired.
You’ll want to get an idea of when the home’s major systems and features were updated — including the roof, siding, electrical system, heating and air conditioning, water heater, and more. This will give you a good grasp of what repairs and replacements you’ll be due for soon.
Your home inspection will help, too. Inspectors include notes about how old significant features are and what lifespan they have left.
Sellers aren’t required to include anything that’s not attached to the home, so things like refrigerators, stoves, and dishwashers won’t always come with the property.
Ask about what the seller is including in the sale and what they’d be willing to include for the right price. Is it move-in ready, or will you need to buy appliances, blinds, curtains, and furniture? This will help you plan your move-in costs.
Always ask if the home is attached to a homeowner’s association (HOA). HOAs are common in suburban neighborhoods, and they come with rules, regulations, and fees for residents who live there.
If the home does have an HOA, ask for its name so you can read up on the organization’s policies. Also, ask what the monthly or annual dues are and any amenities those dues pay for.
Loving the home is just one part of the equation. You also want to love the community it’s located in. Ask the agent about the surrounding neighborhood — its amenities, the people who live there, and what businesses and services are in the area.
Also, ask about the neighbors and, if you have children or pets, ask about local playgrounds, trails, and dog parks.
Neighborhood events are another thing to consider. Are neighborhood get-togethers common? Are the streets busy at night? Are there parties on the weekends? Knowing the average age of residents can help you understand what types of activities you may see in the area. These are all excellent questions to keep in mind.
Getting a feel for the seller’s timeline is always wise. Sellers who are ready to move quickly, or have already moved, are typically more open to negotiations. Sellers who are in no rush to sell tend to wait it out for the perfect offer.
This is an essential question if you want an energy-efficient home.
Find out if the home uses natural gas, solar energy, electricity, or a combination. Ask about the heating and cooling systems and for an estimate of all monthly utility costs. This will be a big help in your budgeting.
You should also know when utilities were last updated, like HVAC units, water heaters, and plumbing systems. Knowing this can help you anticipate repairs and what they may cost.
Ask the agent if there are any parks, pools, walking trails, or other neighborhood amenities within walking distance. Get details and recommendations on nearby businesses that are important to you, like coffee shops, bars, restaurants, recreation centers, gyms, or hiking trails.
These will give you an idea of what your day-to-day life will look like in this neighborhood.
This is one you ask yourself while touring the home. Can you see yourself and your loved ones in the home? Would your furniture and decor match the aesthetics of the property? Do you get good phone reception in the house?
Think about updates you’d want to make if you bought the house. Decide if those projects are worth the time and if you have the budget for them.
More questions will come up as you tour the house. You’ll want to learn more about each room you enter, especially the ones you know you’ll spend a lot of time in.
Here are a few of the questions to consider asking as you enter each room:
Living spaces include living rooms, dens, and bedrooms.
Ask the following in these areas:
The kitchen is the heart of the home, and you’ll spend quite a bit of time there. Be thorough with your evaluations in this space.
You should ask:
When touring the bathrooms, make sure everything works and check for leaks on the faucets and under the sink.
Then ask:
Basements are great additions to a home, but they can present unique issues.
Ask these questions if a home you’re considering has a basement:
It’s essential to see the big picture when considering a home. The listing gives you a good idea of a home’s condition but only goes so far. Attend an open house, tour the home multiple times, and review questions to ask at an open house to learn as much about the property as you can. Our free first-time home buyer education course covers this topic and more.
If you’re serious about buying a house, have your mortgage pre-approval ready before you start house hunting. Your pre-approval is essential to getting your offer accepted.
Happy homebuying.
See how much home you can afford to buy. Use our no-risk Immediate Mortgage Approval and find your mortgage eligibility in an instant.
What is a Warrantable Condominium?
Open houses are a valuable tool for home buyers. You can view a property in a low-pressure environment, and you can usually take as much time as you need. One of the biggest perks is talking to the listing agent and going through your questions to ask at an open house. You can find out […]
Be a better buyer. Subscribe now and never miss out on exclusive insights, new market trends, and first-time buyer programs.
Finding your dream starts here. Apply in minutes.
About
Learn
Research