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BlogArrowBuying & Selling HousesArrow3 Questions to Ask an Agent When Buying a Home for the First Time
Buying & Selling Houses Jul 06, 2020

3 Questions to Ask an Agent When Buying a Home for the First Time

Kyle Spearin
Expertise:
9 Articles Written
cookie cutter of house on a table with blurred keys in the background

Congratulations! You’ve successfully followed the steps to hire a rock star real estate agent. Now it’s time to start the home buying process.

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Chances are that you’ve compiled some preliminary research to guide your home search. Even with general parameters for your search defined, you probably have many unanswered questions about the process.

A great agent will be able to answer your questions in detail. At the very least, they should be able to point you toward resources that can help you find what you're looking for.

Then there are the questions you never thought to ask. It’s impossible to know how to ask all the right questions if you don’t have experience buying a home. Unfortunately, even the best agents can’t answer a question that never came up in conversation. As a result, you might end up in a less-than-ideal situation.

Luckily, there’s a solution to this quandary.

Although you may not know all the important questions to ask an agent, this post can help steer you in the right direction. At the very least, it will make you a more informed buyer. On the other end of the spectrum, these questions can save you time, money, and frustration.

When buying a home, remember to ask your real estate agent these questions.

Related: Buying a House: The Ultimate Guide to Purchasing Your First Property

From Start to Finish, What Does the Home Buying Process Look Like?

Imagine being blindfolded and told to walk in an unfamiliar area with only a stranger’s voice to follow.

One step after another, you have to blindly (quite literally) trust the voice that’s guiding you. In many ways, this is exactly what happens when people buy their first house.

metrics, real estate, assessing property

Anxiety is caused by a degree of uncertainty about future events. That basically describes the entire home buying process for first-time buyers—if you’ve never purchased a house before, you have no idea what to anticipate at any juncture. It’s important to see each step before it comes.

That's where a great real estate agent comes in handy. Your agent should be able to paint a clear picture of the process from start to finish. At each major milestone, there are things that an agent can help you anticipate. It can be as simple as calming a person before they get an inspection report or as complex as crafting the perfect offer.

Knowing what the process looks like from start to finish will put you at ease.

Related: 5 Reasons I’m Obsessed With Paying Off My Mortgage

Do You Have Recommendations?

Real estate is all about networking.

In many ways, the phrase "your network is your net worth" applies to real estate agents. If they want to give clients the ultimate buying experience, it goes without saying that they need to provide great service. Part of that comes from the quality of recommendations they can give.

As a real estate newbie, you might not have many connections in the industry. Therefore, you’re relying on your agent to offer solutions in the form of referrals. Just as a disclaimer, know that you should always compare options rather than blindly following advice. That being said, having an agent who can provide potential team members is invaluable.

Here are some recommendations you may need during the process.

Before Purchasing a Home

Mortgage Broker

Unless you plan on buying a house in cash, you will need to find a mortgage broker. These people hold the keys to your future in the form of a pre-approval letter. They look at your finances, debt-to-income ratio, credit score, and other factors to determine where you stand. Ultimately, they will be responsible for deciding how much you can borrow and at what interest rate.

Agents with connections will be able to point you toward lenders who have experience working with buyers like you.

Home Inspector

Most offer letters include an inspection contingency to protect the buyers. That means that you’ll need to hire a home inspector.

Without exception, an inspector will find issues (even new homes) with the prospective house. As a first time buyer, it can be horrifying to see an inspection report and may even act as a deterrent. Sometimes for good reason; other times, it can be due to a lack of knowledge on the topic.

Having a connection in the inspection space is crucial. You need an inspector who is more of a realist than an alarmist.

Related: How to Choose the Best Home Inspector

Lawyer

Real estate has tons of legalities and as such may require lawyer oversight. In some states, the closing process requires lawyers. Each state is different when it comes to this, so be sure to look this up ahead of time.

In the event that you do need a lawyer, you want someone who’s detail-oriented and responsive. Since deals may hinge upon a lawyer’s competency, a quality agent will know quality lawyers.

After Purchasing a Home

Believe it or not, owning a home means that things will inevitably go wrong. Instead of scrambling to find someone to fix problems after the fact, you should have names ready before you even buy a house.

Plumber

The most common issues found in houses involve plumbing in one capacity or another. It’s important to have a plumber (preferably a team of plumbers) on stand-by so that you never have to wait more than a day to get something fixed.

Electrician

Much like a plumber, electricians handle all that is unseen. Unlike plumbing, you can get electrocuted trying to fix it yourself.

Handy Person

For all other issues that might go wrong, you should be in touch with a handyman or woman. If you have a carpentry issue or a random door that won’t close, this is who you want to call.

How Old Are the Big-Ticket Items?

When buying a house, it’s important that you ask an agent about big-ticket items. Investors commonly refer to these as capital expenditures. During an open house or showing, you should be sure to figure out the age of these ticking time bombs.

A great agent will be cognizant of what to ask and know which items to look at. Here are a few examples that can cost a pretty penny.

Roof

As you probably know, a roof protects your house from all outside forces. What you may not know is that replacing a roof is very costly. That’s why it’s very important to know the age of a roof.

Knowing this information can do a few things. For one thing, it can help you anticipate when it needs to be replaced. In the event that it needs to be replaced in the near future, you may be able to use that as a bargaining chip during negotiations or steer clear altogether.

Furnace (Heating System)

Although less costly than a new roof, replacing a furnace can be expensive. Having an idea of how old the furnace is will enable you to predict its shelf life. In addition to this, knowing how recently it was serviced can make a big difference in its performance at present and in the future.

Water Heater

Do you like cold showers?

OK… maybe you do. But if you’re like most of the population, this is a worst-case scenario. Having the foresight to look into the age of the water heater can cost you from calling a plumber early into your homeownership experience.

Final Thoughts

Buying a home for the first time can be stressful and anxiety-inducing. Knowing the right questions to ask an agent will make you feel far more comfortable throughout the process. Good luck!

Anything you’d recommend adding to this list?

Comment below!

By Kyle Spearin
Kyle Spearin is a teacher and real estate agent. He purchased his first home at 26 and became fascinated with real estate. He’s done a live-in flip and has been house hacking since his first home p...
Read more
Kyle Spearin is a teacher and real estate agent. He purchased his first home at 26 and became fascinated with real estate. He’s done a live-in flip and has been house hacking since his first home purchase. Recently, he got his real estate license to deeply engrain himself in the industry he loves. Kyle currently invests in Massachusetts but hopes to begin investing in Colorado within the next year. Follow his investing journey on KyleSpearin.com.
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10 Replies
    Justin White Rental Property Investor from New Jersey
    Replied 7 months ago
    Thanks Kyle. This is good info. Very timely for myself.
    Kyle Spearin Investor from Boston, MA
    Replied 6 months ago
    Hi Justin, I'm happy this was useful. Are there any questions that you have that you think should also be addressed? Please let me know if I can do anything to help! Kyle

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    Adi Balint Investor from Israel
    Replied 7 months ago
    great message to investors .
    Kyle Spearin Investor from Boston, MA
    Replied 6 months ago
    Hi Adi, Thank you for your feedback! Kyle

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    Scott Fouser
    Replied 7 months ago
    Great advise. As far as the vendor resources and the data around the big ticket items go, Househappy is playing a significant roll in simplifying things for homeowners. All the physical home data is stored along with the repair and maintenance history. Including the contractor / repair person's contact info and receipts. Understanding and budgeting for the true cost of ownership, looking out several years into the future, is wonderful for everyone. But particularly helpful to first time owner and investors.
    Kyle Spearin Investor from Boston, MA
    Replied 6 months ago
    This sounds like a great resource. I'm going to look into it!

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    Madhu Alli
    Replied 7 months ago
    Great info. Thank you. From the few houses I have toured the RE agents were pretty lacking in information. This is certainly helpful to quiz them and let them know that you are serious.
    Kyle Spearin Investor from Boston, MA
    Replied 6 months ago
    Madhu, absolutely. These are very important questions because you don't want to be stuck with a big bill after closing due to lack of information. Sometimes it is also helpful to bring a contractor with you if you think the house will have several repairs needed, that way they can estimate costs for you.

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    Christopher Stacy Rental Property Investor from Wiesbaden Germany
    Replied 6 months ago
    Good advice thanks! I would add a few more capital expenditures to the list for older houses. Knob and tube wiring, foundation issues and old plumbing can be big expense items to replace/correct. Unless you are a seasoned pro, ALWAYS hire a good home inspector.
    Kyle Spearin Investor from Boston, MA
    Replied 6 months ago
    Hi Chris, thank you for adding these things. I 100% agree, foundation problems can destroy a deal and traditional financing. When I bought my first house the plumbing was a mess and I ignored it during inspection so this is fantastic advice. I really appreciate the feedback, this was very insightful.

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