Buying Home Check List
If you are buying a
home, then, before you decide on whether this home is
your dream home, the following checklist will
help you look at prospective homes with a critical eye. We
suggest printing this page and putting it on a clipboard.
When you find a home that really interests you, mark the
features you see and note their general condition on this
list. Where we've provided choices, fill out in the space
and check the box of the one that best describes each home.
If you do not know the answers to any question, then make
sure to ask your Realtor. Some technical issues should be
established by a home inspector.
Home Location
Address
________________________________________________________
Asking price
____________________________________________________
Annual property tax
_____________________________________________
Zoning restrictions
_______________________________________________
Exterior of the Home
- Lot size - shape
______________________________________________
- Position of home on lot
________________________________________
- Private or shared drive - condition
_______________________________
- Front yard-rear yard
__________________________________________
- Landscaping - condition
________________________________________
- Mature trees
________________________________________________
- Home appearance from street
__________________________________
- Type of home (two storey, detached, attached)
____________________
- Siding (brick, brick veneer, aluminium, wood)
______________________
- Condition of siding and paint
___________________________________
- Attached or detached garage
__________________________________
- One, two, three car garage
____________________________________
- Condition of walkways
_________________________________________
- Covered front porch
__________________________________________
- Enclosed front porch
__________________________________________
- Fenced backyard
_____________________________________________
- Privacy
_____________________________________________________
- Patio-decking
________________________________________________
- Swimming pool-above ground pool
______________________________
- Storage shed
________________________________________________
- Type of roof - general condition
_________________________________
- Type of roof repairs
__________________________________________
- What was done to roof
________________________________________
- Do they have receipts
________________________________________
- Eaves trough
_______________________________________________
- Type of foundation
___________________________________________
- Structural appearance
________________________________________
- Possible problems?
___________________________________________
Interior of the Home (room sizes can be taken from
MLS Listing)
- Separate front hallway
________________________________________
- Guest closet
________________________________________________
- Soundproofing between walls of duplex
__________________________
Doors and Windows
- Types of windows (single pane; thermopane)
_____________________
- Open and close window without sticking
__________________________
- General condition
____________________________________________
- Locks and latches work?
______________________________________
Kitchen
- General size and colours
______________________________________
- Eat-in area
_________________________________________________
- Cooking food preparation island
________________________________
- Sufficient cupboard space
_____________________________________
- Pantry
_____________________________________________________
- Single or double sink-condition
_________________________________
- Sufficient counter top area
____________________________________
- Floor type-condition
__________________________________________
Basement
- Adequate headroom
_________________________________________
- Drained or sump pump
_______________________________________
Other Rooms - Features
- Number of bedrooms
________________________________________
- Number of bathrooms
_______________________________________
- Fireplace type
______________________________________________
- Signs of moisture
___________________________________________
- Cracks in walls and floors
_____________________________________
Recent Renovations
- Done by seller or professional renovator?
________________________
Systems
- Electrical: amperage; fuses or circuit breakers;
adequate outlets; general condition; aluminum or copper
wiring; meet current codes?
______________________________________________________________
- Plumbing: copper pipes or other material; signs
of leaks; recent repairs; age; meet current codes?
______________________________________________________________
- Water service: city supplied or well; if well,
drilled or dug? Ever run dry? Water quality recently tested
for portability? Capacity; age of pump; size of feeder line
from well to house; water agreement?
______________________________________________________________
- Sewer or septic system: if septic, where is
septic field? Holding tank and system recently checked?
______________________________________________________________
- Heating type: oil; gas; electric; hot water;
baseboard; combination; heat pump; age; recent repairs
______________________________________________________________
- Air conditioning: type (window, central) age;
size; recent repairs
______________________________________________________________
- Hot water heater: leased or owned; gas or
electrical number of gallons; efficiency; age
______________________________________________________________
- Insulation type:
______________________________________________
- Ask to see copies of recent utility bills:
___________________________
- Cable or aerial TV service: adequate room outlets
__________________
- Internet access: High Speed; Dial Up
____________________________
- Other notable features and comments:
___________________________
Community - Close to:
- Schools
- City services
- Medical facilities (doctors, hospitals, dentists)
- Shopping
- Parks
- Playgrounds
- Daycare
- Recreation centre
- Public swimming pools
- Public tennis courts
- Golf course
- Skating rinks
- Hockey arena
- Restaurants
- Theatres
- Public library
- Major roads and highways
- Public transportation
- Possible problems (traffic commuting)
Local Neighborhood
- Urban, suburban, rural
________________________________________
- Older or newer; estimated age
_________________________________
- Types of homes in area (detached, links, town
homes or apartments?
______________________________________________________________
- Age group of area homeowners
________________________________
- Quiet streets
________________________________________________
- Adequate streetlights
_________________________________________
- Visible power lines and telephone poles
__________________________
- Well maintained homes
_______________________________________
- Sidewalks
__________________________________________________
- Space between homes
________________________________________
- Adequate street parking
_______________________________________
