House Hunting Checklist

 Other Checklists:
Real Estate Agents | Buying A Home | Closing Your Loan
Buying A Condominium | House Hunting | Job Search
Loan Application | Moving | Selling Your Home

House Hunting Checklist
(Printer Friendly Version)

General Questions

	Age of house?
	Style of house?
	Number of bedrooms?
	Number of bathrooms?
	Enough closet space?
	Enough storage space?
	Enough division of space between family room and bedrooms (for privacy and quiet)?
	Room for expansion?
	Square footage of house? Main floor (should have the most square footage) Upstairs Basement
	Roof: Age and condition? Shingles in good shape? Any leakage or discoloration? Any sign of sagging?
	Foundation: Evidence of cracks or seepage?
	Rooms in house: Floors level? Natural lighting? New carpeting? Kitchen appliances in good condition? Washer and Dryer included? Basement dry with no water damage?
	Property tax rates: Reasonable?
	Walls: Any stains or unevenly painted surfaces? Any replastering or retiling?
	Windows: Age? Insulated? Water damage? Weather stripping in place? Window dressings included with house?
	Any evidence of pests: Mousetraps? Slug trails? Termites (small piles of sawdust)?

House Location

	Neighborhood: Attractive? Variety of house designs? Appealing streetscape? Trees? Houses maintained properly? Adequate street lights? Other children - to play with your child? Town Watch in effect? Good police and fire departments?
	House lot: Attractive landscaping? Private? Nice view from the windows? Good paint job? Fence? Garage?
	Security: Solid front door? What kinds of locks used? Do ground-floor windows have security latches? Smoke detectors in proper places?
	Facilities nearby? Library? Schools? Supermarket? Parks? Public Transportation? Hospital?
	How close to your job? Good route? Low traffic pattern?
	Safe neighborhood? No hazards - junky lots, ditches, construction? No factories or vacant houses nearby? No evidentiary litter or pollution?
	Good school system?
	Value of other neighborhood homes? Same as yours?
	Zoning laws in effect that would protect the neighborhood?

House Utilities

	Heating: Maximum use of sunlight? What is monthly bill? Heating fuel - gas or oil? Age and condition of furnace?
	Air Conditioning: Wall units or central? What is monthly bill?
	Electricity: Grounded outlets? Was wiring professionally done? At least two outlets per room?
	Plumbing: Check all taps - good pressure? Do any faucets drip? Any evidence of leakage underneath fixtures? Shut-off valves at each fixture?
	Water: Annual water bill? Age and condition of water heater?
	Sewage system: Adequate?
	Storm drainage: Any evidence of water damage? Plants growing out of the gutters?
	Utilities: Reasonable rates?
	Garbage removal: Do you pay extra?

(Back to top)