What to Look for When Viewing a House: Your Homebuying Checklist

If you’re on the hunt for a homebuying checklist, odds are you’re at an exciting stage of the homebuying journey!

Maybe you’ve spoken with a mortgage pro, set a budget, looked online, and are finally ready to start attending showings. But amid all this excitement, you’re right to seek out a few resources — homebuying checklist included.

After all, open houses and showings can sometimes feel emotional and rushed. And this is likely the largest purchase you’ll ever make! You don’t want to overlook key, critical details.

A thorough homebuying checklist can help you begin to evaluate a property’s structure, systems, location, and overall livability. It can also help keep you objective, provide insight for negotiations, and potentially even prevent costly surprises after closing. As a result, you might just be much better positioned to make a confident, informed offer.

What Should You Check on the Exterior of a Home?

The state of a home’s exterior is important. It protects your family from the elements, and depending on where you live, it can take a good amount of wear and tear.

When it comes to the exterior, your homebuying checklist should include:

• Roofs, gutters, and drainage: Check for any signs of aging or damaged roofing, clogged/sagging gutters, or grading that slopes toward (not away from) the home.
• Foundation and structural walls: Look closely for any visible cracks, bowing walls, or uneven settling. Some issues may be purely cosmetic, and a home inspection will help clarify eventually, but making note of any visual issues is still important.
• Siding, paint, and windows: Keep an eye out for any peeling paint, rotting wood, fogged double-pane windows, and decaying seals or caulking. Minor cosmetic issues aren’t often cause for concern, but large-scale deterioration could be.

How Do You Evaluate the Interior of a Home You’re Considering?

You’ll probably spend most of the open house or showing checking out the interior of the home. This is where your family will function day-to-day, so be sure to look closely.

When it comes to the interior, your homebuying checklist should include:

• Walls, ceilings, and floors: Note any water stains, cracks, areas with uneven flooring, soft spots, and fresh paint that may be covering damage. Be on the lookout for damage, but don’t worry about paint colors or flooring materials that aren’t exactly your taste – those can be changed!
• Plumbing: Run faucets, flush toilets, check under sinks for leaks, and gauge both water pressure and hot water speed.
• Electrical systems and safety: Find out the age of the electrical panel, number of outlets per room, any exposed or amateur-appearing wiring, and the presence of Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets (safety devices that prevent electrocution) near water sources. Again, a home inspection will help clarify any major issues in this category, but it doesn’t hurt to check for yourself.
• Doors, windows, and natural light: Open and close doors and windows to test alignment, check all locks, and assess the level of natural light. You can also explore revisiting at another time of day to compare.

What Are the Big-Ticket Systems to Ask About When Homebuying?

Of course, factors like paint and water pressure do matter. But large-scale systems, or those that are most expensive and difficult to replace, tend to be the most important factor in many home purchases.

When it comes to big-ticket systems, your homebuying checklist should include:

• HVAC, water heater, and appliances: Ask for ages and maintenance records of the furnace/AC, water heater, and any major appliances. Compare these figures to average replacement timelines.
• Roof: Determine the age of the roof and whether there’s a transferable warranty. Note the material, and consider researching average lifespans and replacement costs.

What Should You Weigh When Choosing a Neighborhood?

Your neighborhood of choice is arguably just as important as the home you buy. It will help dictate your lifestyle access to amenities, long-term property value, and even the level of safety.

When it comes to the neighborhood, your homebuying checklist should include:

• Location and commute: Investigate traffic patterns, noise levels, street lighting, parking availability, and overall experience in the morning, afternoon, and evening. After all, if you have to be up early for work, an area with a lively nightlife might not be the best fit.
• Walkability, schools, and nearby amenities: Look into the area’s proximity to grocery stores, parks, public transit, crime rates, and school ratings. To save some time, you might explore online tools that aggregate and publish this data, providing a cumulative “score” for different neighborhoods.
• Future developments and resale value: Check local zoning maps and planned developments. Whether you plan to sell your home in three years of 30 years, resale value should be a consideration.

What Red Flags Should First-Time Buyers Never Ignore?

There are a few items that should set off alarm bells, regardless of how perfect the house might seem otherwise.

Red flags on your homebuying checklist should include:

• Musty, moldy, or damp smells: Potentially indicating mold or water damage.
• Poor DIY repairs or unpermitted additions: May not be up to safety standards.
• Doors or windows that stick: Could suggest a foundation shift.
• Sawdust piles, hollow wood, or droppings: Could indicate past or present pest damage.

Wrapping Up: Working Through Your Homebuying Checklist

While even the best homebuying checklist can’t be exhaustive, the basics provide a solid foundation to help you evaluate any given home.

Throughout the process, you might also consider leaning on your real estate agent, who’s probably attended dozens of showings and seen their fair share of both solid and shoddy investments. And remember: A home inspection can help further clarify potential issues.

With an intentional approach and a bit of due diligence, you’ll be well-positioned to make a confident, informed decision either way. Happy hunting!

Key Takeaways

• Start with the exterior. Check the roof, gutters, foundation, siding, and windows for signs of aging, damage, or poor drainage before you even step inside.
• Test the interior hands-on. Run faucets, flip switches, open and close doors and windows, and look for water stains, cracks, or uneven flooring throughout the home.
• Ask about big-ticket systems. Get the ages and maintenance records for the HVAC, water heater, roof, and major appliances — these are the most expensive items to replace.
• Evaluate the neighborhood, not just the house. Research future development plans and potential resale value.
• Don’t ignore red flags. Musty smells, sticking doors, unpermitted work, and signs of pests all warrant further investigation.
• Lean on your team. A knowledgeable real estate agent and a professional home inspector can catch what even the best homebuying checklist might miss.