Questions to ask a seller...?

Turin_Turambar

I've compiled a list of questions to ask a seller when I go to view a house, I'm a ftb so I'm new to all this.
Anyway are these ok and can you think of any more?

Questions to seller...

• When are you looking to move?
• When did you buy the house and for how much?
• Have you got a H.I.P?
• When the boiler was last serviced?
• Have the electrics been checked?
• How much is the cost of utilities per month i.e. gas, electric, water etc
• What are the neighbours like?
• Has the house got cavity wall insulation/loft insulation?
• What are you leaving behind i.e. blinds etc
• Have there been any other offers and the house, and what is the lowest amount your willing to accept?

penguine

Turin_Turambar wrote: »

• When did you buy the house and for how much?
• Have there been any other offers and the house, and what is the lowest amount your willing to accept?

I'd cross these questions off your list. If we were selling our flat, I wouldn't tell the seller how much we paid for it. If the purchase was after 2000 (or sometimes after 1995) they can find out online anyway. And if it was a very long time ago, it's not relevant to the property's current price.

The other question seems unsubtle to me. If you're seriously interested in the property, you're hopefully going to put in an offer somewhere below the maximum you're willing to pay. If the negotiations go back and forth for a bit, you'll find out the lowest the sellers are willing to accept. This might be different from what they'd tell you at a first viewing (assuming they'd be willing to show their cards like that).

sooz

Turin_Turambar wrote: »

I've compiled a list of questions to ask a seller when I go to view a house, I'm a ftb so I'm new to all this.
Anyway are these ok and can you think of any more?

Questions to seller...

• When are you looking to move?
• When did you buy the house and for how much?
That won't go down well. You can also look it up for free online
• Have you got a H.I.P?
They must have one to be on the market
• When the boiler was last serviced?
• Have the electrics been checked?
• How much is the cost of utilities per month i.e. gas, electric, water etc
Depends on usage & which company they are with. If you buy, you can change this
• What are the neighbours like?
• Has the house got cavity wall insulation/loft insulation?
• What are you leaving behind i.e. blinds etc
• Have there been any other offers and the house, and what is the lowest amount your willing to accept?

I'd ask -
Why they want to move?
Local school catchment area (if you have kids)?
If any of the services are billed rather than on pre-pay cards?
When the boiler was installed?

However, I hate looking at houses when the vendor is in. I'd look around thoroughly, without being followed & wittered at by the owner, & then send a list of questions to the EA, for them to ask their client. Answers are always better in writing.

Thundercat_2

I would agree with penguine - those questions may come across as a little bit forceful on a first viewing! Often the EA may be able to give you answers on these, but I certainly wouldn't address them to the seller directly!

pawpurrs

• When are you looking to move?
• When did you buy the house and for how much? Dont ask this
• Have you got a H.I.P? Ask the agent
• When the boiler was last serviced?
• Have the electrics been checked? Why would they have them checked?
• How much is the cost of utilities per month i.e. gas, electric, water etc Irrelevent, depends on usage?
• What are the neighbours like?
• Has the house got cavity wall insulation/loft insulation?
• What are you leaving behind i.e. blinds etc Only ask this when you are actually buying...
• Have there been any other offers and the house, and what is the lowest amount your willing to accept? Not the done thing!

Turin_Turambar

Ok so it looks like these are the questions to ask, any more?

Questions to seller...
• When are you looking to move?
• When the boiler was last serviced?
• How much is the cost of utilities per month i.e. gas, electric, water etc are they billed or pre-pay cards?
• What are the neighbours like?
• Has the house got cavity wall insulation/loft insulation?

I would have thought asking about the seller is willing to leave behind would influence any offer I would make?

Anyway thanks for the replies so far;)

penguine

Turin_Turambar wrote: »

Ok so it looks like these are the questions to ask, any more?

Questions to seller...
• When are you looking to move?
• When the boiler was last serviced? -- also how old is it
• How much is the cost of utilities per month i.e. gas, electric, water etc are they billed or pre-pay cards?
• What are the neighbours like?
• Has the house got cavity wall insulation/loft insulation?

I would have thought asking about the seller is willing to leave behind would influence any offer I would make? -- for major appliances, yes

Anyway thanks for the replies so far;)

Something I heard once was to ask the EA at the end of the viewing if there's anything else they think you should know about the property.

cattie

Asking about neighbours doesn't necessarily bring you an honest answer. When I lived next to a very noisy, aggressive & disfuncitional family consisting of mother in her 60's & son late 30's, both liking a drink & I was asked about neighbours when my house was on the market. My answer was elderly mother with adult son living that side.

Sound perfect neighbours don't they; no screaming kids or noisy teenagers. But my life had been hell living next door to them. Mother locking son out & him swearing, screaming & shouting at 2am to be let in or he'd f****** kill the ****(unmentionable word).

Definitely don't ask what they paid for the house. None of your business, if it's even relevant. You can find out info on the web if sold in the last few years.

Only a dreadfully desperate seller would tell you the lowest offer they'd accept. Most people are hoping for very close to the market price & this will be their answer should you dare to ask. Asking isn't the done thing.

Owner's seldom get electrics checked unless they have any real cause for concern. Generally the only time electrics are checked is by a new buyer of a property.

Most owners will be happy to tell you cost of utilities, but this is a very personal & individual thing & what current occupiers pay will have no relation to what you might pay. It all depends on useage.

Questions you should be asking are;

Have they found another property? If so what is the position, long chain etc?

Why are they moving? ( won't necessarily bring you a honest answer)

How long have they lived there ? (short term could indicate they haven't been happy there)

When was roof replaced, if ever?

Any damp proof or other guarantees in existence for property?

Council tax band.

sooz

That's a nice catch all question, but the EA probably still wouldn't tell you all you wanted to know
You could try asking some direct ones that you actually want answers to, like was anyone ever murdered in the house, do the neighbours like loud rock music, & do local cats poop in the garden

Whatever you ask, if you think the question is important enough to actually base your offer on, ask for your questions to be answered IN WRITING.

mlz1413

depends what type of property you are looking at:
Leasehold flat - how long is the lease
Freehold house - which boundaries are you responsible for the upkeep of.
If relevant to property - any parking issues

First viewing - have you been happy here, how do you get on with the neighbours, are you staying in the area.

2nd viewing - are the curtains/blinds and white goods included in the sale. How much do the utitlies cost, is the telephone/broadband connected, does the sky / cable tv work, did you have gas/elec checked when you moved here, has boiler been serviced regularly / recently, insulation questions.

When putting in an offer ask the EA what the lowest is they will take as some people are put off by this style of direct questioning.

When you are viewing remember you are looking around someones home be polite. A pet hate of mine is people who open kitchen cupboards - your looking round to buy the house not the cupboard contents.

Otherwise good luck, you'll know which place you like the best as you just get a 'feel' for it when you walk in.

mlz1413

sooz wrote: »

. do local cats poop in the garden

:rotfl:

made me smile as this weekend I was out in the garden shouting that the neighbours cats had **** in my new herb planter. Thank goodness I'm not selling!!