Things buyers should ALWAYS check before making an offer on a house

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Things buyers should ALWAYS check before making an offer on a house

Chambers M Leandra
Investor · Charlotte, NC · Member since 2026 · 9 posts · 2 votes

What’s one thing buyers should ALWAYS check before making an offer on a house?

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Divin KanyamaBusiness Member
Accountant · Seattle, WA · Member since 2025 · 600 posts · 251 votes
1d

@Chambers M Leandra Honestly? Get the sewer line scoped. It's usually a couple hundred bucks for a camera run from the house to the street, and most standard inspections don't include it.

It's the sneaky one. Cracked pipe, roots, or a belly holding water can sit there unnoticed until the backups start, and then you're staring at a five-figure repair. If the house is older and has clay or cast iron, I'd call it a must.

Do it during your inspection window and ask to see the footage, not just hear "looks fine." If it finds something, you can ask for a credit, have the seller fix it, or walk away before it's your problem.

Plenty of other stuff matters too, but this is the cheapest thing to check and the most expensive to miss. That's just what I'd do though, and your inspector or a local pro will know your market better than I do.

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  • Divin KanyamaBusiness Member
    Accountant · Seattle, WA · Member since 2025 · 600 posts · 251 votes
    1d

    @Chambers M Leandra Honestly? Get the sewer line scoped. It's usually a couple hundred bucks for a camera run from the house to the street, and most standard inspections don't include it.

    It's the sneaky one. Cracked pipe, roots, or a belly holding water can sit there unnoticed until the backups start, and then you're staring at a five-figure repair. If the house is older and has clay or cast iron, I'd call it a must.

    Do it during your inspection window and ask to see the footage, not just hear "looks fine." If it finds something, you can ask for a credit, have the seller fix it, or walk away before it's your problem.

    Plenty of other stuff matters too, but this is the cheapest thing to check and the most expensive to miss. That's just what I'd do though, and your inspector or a local pro will know your market better than I do.

    [email protected]
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    • Chambers M Leandra
      OP
      Investor · Charlotte, NC · Member since 2026 · 9 posts · 2 votes
      18h

      Thanks for your reply and guidance, it's really priceless

      0Reply
  • James JonesPro Member
    Investor · Collierville, TN 38017 · Member since 2017 · 891 posts · 624 votes
    17h

    Before any offer, I check the rent the property can actually get — not the seller's number, the real one. Everything else flows from that. I underwrite to the 1% rule: monthly rent has to be at least 1% of the purchase price, or the deal starts underwater no matter how nice the house is. For my Section 8 houses that's checking the payment standard against the $1,395 to $1,950 range for 3-bedrooms and using the low end. Then I check the refi exit: will it appraise in the $180K to $265K range and carry a loan at 70 to 80% LTV? Sewer lines matter, but rent is the number that decides whether you own an asset or a payment.

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  • Ametria Chaney
    Realtor · Memphis, Shelby County · Member since 2026 · 178 posts · 60 votes
    16h

    Adding the Realtor angle to two great answers: before you write, check the money nobody puts in the listing. Pull the actual tax bill (not last year's estimate), get an insurance quote, and confirm any HOA dues and special assessments — those three can turn a "good deal" into a payment you can't carry. Then check the property's story: price history, days on market, and how it compares to actual sold comps, not active listings. A house that's been sitting usually has a reason, and knowing it before you offer is how you negotiate from strength. And get fully pre-approved, not just pre-qualified, so your offer is real when you find the one. The inspection finds the house's problems; this homework finds the deal's problems.

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  • Matthew MorrowBusiness Member
    Investor · PA - NY - NJ · Member since 2019 · 878 posts · 309 votes
    8h

    @Chambers M Leandra the age of the big stuff: roof, furnace, water heater, electrical panel. I'd assume the current owner didn't keep up with it the way you would, especially in an older house. You don't need perfect answers before the offer, but knowing which of those is near the end tells you whether the price makes sense. Then the inspection confirms it. Hope that helps.

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  • Chris ColtonPro Member
    Investor · San Antonio, TX · Member since 2026 · 30 posts · 12 votes
    2h

    Good question, Chambers — and I like the sewer and rent answers already here. The one I always check, especially on a creative deal, is the payment itself: is the existing loan current, what are the real taxes and insurance, and is there a clear paper trail for how payments will be tracked? I learned that lesson the hard way when a midterm switch left me without a solid agreement in place. What would it change for you if the payment story and the paperwork didn't line up?

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  • Ashish AcharyaBusiness Member
    CPA, CFP®, PFS · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2017 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    55m

    One thing I'd always check is whether the property actually works as an investment after all the costs, not just whether the purchase price looks good.

    I'd look at taxes, insurance, HOA or rental restrictions, realistic rent, maintenance, and expected CapEx before getting too attached to the deal. If you're planning to house hack or eventually convert the property to a rental, I'd also think about how that future use affects the tax and depreciation side.

    A property can look like a great deal at the offer price and still be a mediocre investment once you run the full numbers. Happy to connect!

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