10 Questions to Ask Before Making an Offer

By MICHAEL EDLEN | Special to the Palisadian-Post

Homebuyers often rush to have their offer presented as soon as possible. Sometimes their agents appropriately encourage quick action in an effort to avoid getting involved in a bidding situation or to ensure that the property will not be sold before the offer is presented.

However, making an offer without first investigating various aspects of the home can possibly result in entering into a contract prematurely and possibly being dissatisfied with the purchase.

While prospective buyers may quickly give particular attention to various practical issues or features, they may at the same time overlook other things that might be even more important.

Taking the time to ensure that these issues are at least considered is well advised. There are also many quality-of-life type of issues that a wise buyer might do well to ask. Here are some examples:

1. Is the property near a heavily trafficked street that may be a noise factor? And if it is, can the sound be sufficiently mitigated by adding a large fountain or waterfall, installing outdoor speakers for music or adding sound-proofing windows?

2. How congested is the street at various times of the day and evening and is parking relatively easy to find?

3. Are you aware of the micro-climate the property is located in and is it aligned with your general preference? Do you prefer a warmer or cooler temperature?

4. Do CC&Rs (Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions) dictate where you could expand the house if they contain protections for views in the neighborhood? May those limitations prevent you from making desired changes in the future?

5. How close is the property to a wilderness area and is the presence of wildlife an issue for you? For example, do you have small dogs or cats that might be at risk from coyotes?

6. Are most of the homes nearby expanded or remodeled already, or is it likely that future construction projects will be done on several of them?

7. Is the home satisfactory as it is, or could it require major changes in the future to accommodate changes in the family? Will the flow of the house accommodate a growing family?

8. Would major changes in that particular location be a wise investment?

9. What does the immediate neighborhood feel like at different times of the day?  Have you taken the time during the morning, afternoon and evening hours to observe the neighborhood?

10. Do all the compromises that have been considered outweigh the benefits of purchasing the property?

Michael Edlen has sold over $1.5 billion, 1,250 homes, and his team has more than 100 years combined experience in real estate. He and his team have represented hundreds of families in the buying process and provides real estate counseling services to prospective buyers and sellers. More insight and information are available at MichaelEdlen.com. He can be reached at 310-230-7373 or Michael@MichaelEdlen.com.