3 Due Diligence Items You Won’t Want to Forget!
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It’s not often you buy a home, so why not make sure this big ol’ investment is a goodie, before signing on the dotted line.
Here are 3 due diligence items you won’t want to forget:
Home Inspection
Home inspections won’t uncover every itty bitty issue with the home, but they can uncover a lot. Generally, you’re looking for bigger ticket items that would make you second-guess buying it. Unless of course, you’re planning on tearing it down. If the goal is to live in the home underlying structural issues, for example, could be costly and time-consuming to remedy.
Be sure to ask your real estate agent for a few home inspector recommendations and perform your own research as well. Just like your realtor, you want to make sure you trust these individuals to do a good job. And don’t forget about termite inspections.
In the grand scheme of things, it’s a small price to pay to give you peace of mind about your potential purchase.
Research the address & area online and in person
You’re going to be living there! See what pops up when you google the specific address and area.
Take a day or two to wander the streets and see if you like it. Be sure to check it out at different times of the day. Morning neighbourhood activities can look very different from night activities. Above all, make sure you feel safe and comfortable.
If you don’t have a car, consider how long it takes to walk to amenities that are important to you like the TTC, gym, pharmacy or grocery store. Knock on the neighbour’s door and ask how they like living there. The more information you can gather, the better!
Knock on the neighbours’ door
I know you may feel awkward doing this one, but it could be really beneficial. They may talk you into or out of the purchase. Remember, you’re trying to gather as much information as possible so you can make an informed decision about one of the biggest purchases of your life. Knowing that you did everything you could will allow you to sleep at night.
If these steps aren’t a part of your due diligence process now, be sure to add them.
Also remember to stay curious, ask questions and let what you want be known to your realtor. If there’s something that’s an absolute no-go for you let us know. We want to make sure your experience is as enjoyable as possible and having clear conversations about what your ‘needs’, ‘wants’ and ‘absolutely not’s’ are is important.
