Are you hunting for your first or next home? Be sure to check out the extensive listings at Buyowner.com, which offers professional advertising of current “For Sale by Owner” properties. When you’ve found a few you like, you’ll be able to contact the sellers directly, cutting out the middlemen (and their commissions!).

The next step is touring homes. When you visit properties in person, what should you be looking for, and how will you know what to ask?

1. Know What You Need.
The most important thing you can do, before visiting any properties, is to determine what must-haves are necessary for your home purchase. Do some serious thinking about size, location, amount of yard space—so much of what you need to be looking for depends upon what your individual needs are. Once you have a set mental list, you’re ready to shop.

2. Bring Questions.
Buy Owner home sellers should be more than happy to answer your questions and give you whatever additional information you need. So, armed with the list of things you need, be ready to ask the sellers specifics.

3. Try to See If the Home is a Good Fit.
In addition to the predetermined questions you’ll ask–about room size or age of appliances or whatever’s important to you, here are a few more questions you may want to consider. Remember, the most important thing is to get all the information you need to make a decision.

Potential questions (some for sellers, some for you):

• Will my present furniture work in this house?
• Is there enough space for my belongings?
• How close will I be to work or school?
• Is there any damage to the home or are there repairs that will need to be done?
• Will I need to replace appliances, carpeting, wall paint or anything else?
• If the current appliances stay, do they come with warranties?
• When were the plumbing, the wiring and the roof last updated?
• What are the neighbors like (try meeting them yourself, as well as asking the sellers)?

A home purchase is too big of a decision to rush into or to make without a lot of information. Take your time, arm yourself with knowledge and get prepared to find the right place for you!

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