【 以下文字转载自 NewJerseyHome 俱乐部 】
发信人: newjersey (NJ furniture dealer), 信区: NewJerseyHome
标 题: Open-house questions
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Thu Jun 2 16:20:53 2011, 美东)
If you play your cards right, an open house can tell you a lot more about a
property than its floor plan or the condition of its floors. The key is
asking the right questions, agents say. (Or if you're looking with your
agent, making sure they do it for you.)
Here are some questions to ask the listing agent and how these questions
might help you in your purchase of the home:
1.Have you had any offers on the property? That lets you know if you have
competition for the property, says Kim Drusch, an agent with Century 21
Award in San Diego. You'd also want to know if the sellers had rejected any
offers and why, agents say. It could help you better craft an offer that
will meet with their approval.
2.Has this house been in escrow? If it has, and didn't sell, you'd want to
know why. Was it an appraisal issue? Did a home inspection turn up some
major damage? If it has been in escrow, ask if any inspections were done on
the house. If there were, ask for copies of these reports, so you know what
you're dealing with, and what kind of secondary inspections you might need
should you decide to make an offer.
3.How long has the property been on the market? If it's getting a little
stale, it might be ripe for a lower offer, experts say. Likewise, find out
if there's been a price reduction and when it happened.
4.Why are the owners selling? The agent showing the house is likely to
remain mum on this one. But, then again, she might also let it slip if they
are moving soon, are under financial pressure or are building another house
and might need more time in the house if she's a little desperate to move
the property. Any information you can glean can help you decide how much to
offer, when to close, etc.
5.Are there any liens on this property? You don't want any surprises, so
make sure there aren't any construction liens, tax liens or other claims on
the property resulting from unpaid debt, such as unpaid homeowners
association dues.
6.Is the home going to meet a lender's appraisal expectations? Do you have
comparable sales in the last 90 days? These days, with prices on the decline
, and more and more properties getting taken back by banks, appraisal at the
listing price isn't always a sure thing. Take a look at the recent comps
and have your agent check pending sales to make sure you won't get stuck
once you've starting spending money on inspections and other aspects of the
process.
7.Are there any other costs of ownership? Here again Drusch says you want to
make sure there's nothing to surprise you after closing. If it's in a
condominium complex or other planned community, ask about association dues
and additional taxes or assessments, especially if it's a newer community.
And if there is a homeowners association, get its phone number and call it
to make sure there aren't any rules that conflict with your lifestyle, pets,
etc. You don't want to find out, after the fact, that your husband can't
park his work truck in the driveway of your new home, Drusch says.
Have your agent follow up with the listing agent via fax or email to get it
all on paper.
"Make sure everything is in writing," Drusch says. And, as always, make sure
you have your own home inspection done, even if you have been assured there
are no problems with termites, plumbing, etc.
