What to Check and Verify Before Buying a House

The four labels

Applied consistently, these four labels turn a pile of impressions into a workable to-do list.

• CLAIMED — information from the listing, marketing material, the seller or their agent. Useful, unverified.
• OBSERVED — what you personally noticed on a tour. Real, but limited to what is visible to a non-professional.
• CONFIRMED — supported by an appropriate document or a qualified professional's assessment.
• UNKNOWN — nobody has answered it yet. The most important category, because it is the easiest to forget.

Property details

• Square footage and how it was measured, including what counts as finished.
• Bedroom count and whether each room legally qualifies where that matters.
• Lot size and what is actually included with the parcel.
• Year built and any recorded additions.
• Zoning or use restrictions relevant to your plans.

Renovations and improvements

• Ask what was done, when, and by whom.
• Ask for permits and final inspections where the work required them.
• Ask for receipts, warranties and contractor details.
• Treat undocumented work as unverified regardless of how it looks.
• Check whether unpermitted work affects insurance or future sale.

Systems and condition

• Ages and service history of major systems, in writing.
• Which systems are original to the home.
• Any known deficiency the seller has previously been told about.
• The general inspection's findings, plus specialist follow-ups it recommends.

Water and moisture

• Ask directly whether the home has ever had water intrusion, and what was done.
• Ask about grading, drainage and sump systems.
• Have any staining, odor or efflorescence you observed evaluated professionally.
• Ask whether the property is in an area where flood coverage is relevant.

Roof

• Claimed age and whether it is a full replacement or a partial repair.
• Documentation from the roofer, plus any warranty and whether it transfers.
• Any prior leak history and the repairs made.
• A professional assessment of current condition — not your ground-level view.

HVAC

• Age, type and capacity of each unit.
• Service records and the date of the last maintenance.
• Whether any area of the home is known to heat or cool poorly.
• The inspector's assessment, and a specialist's where recommended.

Electrical

• Panel type, capacity and age.
• Whether wiring has been updated, and which parts.
• Any known panel or wiring types that insurers treat as a concern.
• Permits for electrical work performed.

Plumbing

• Supply and drain material, and any partial repiping.
• Water heater age and condition.
• Sewer line condition, including a camera inspection where advised.
• Septic and well documentation, testing and service history where applicable.

Property boundaries and documents

• Where the boundaries actually are, via survey where relevant.
• Easements, rights of way and shared access or maintenance.
• Encroachments such as fences, sheds or driveways.
• Title matters, handled by your title company or attorney as applicable in your state.

HOA information, where applicable

• Current fee, what it covers and how it has changed.
• Governing documents, rules and any use restrictions.
• Financial statements, reserves and any special assessment history.
• Pending litigation or planned projects.

Taxes and recurring costs

• Current tax figure from the local authority and how reassessment works there.
• Insurance quotes for the specific address.
• Utility history for the property.
• Any recurring service the property requires.

Included appliances and items

• A written list of exactly what conveys with the sale.
• Condition and any transferable warranty for each item.
• Anything you assumed stays: mounts, shelving, window treatments, equipment.
• Leased equipment such as solar, propane tanks or water systems, and their terms.

Disclosures

• Read every disclosure the seller provides, in full.
• Note what disclosure requirements apply in your state, since they vary.
• Follow up on anything vague rather than accepting the summary.
• Keep copies of everything you receive.

Inspection

• Hire your own inspector and attend if you can.
• Give them your observations and questions in advance.
• Commission specialist inspections where the report recommends them.
• Read the full report and sort findings by severity before responding.

Questions for the appropriate professionals

Match each open item to the person qualified to answer it: agent, lender, inspector, contractor, insurer, title company or attorney where applicable in your state. Our list of questions to ask when viewing a house is a good starting point for the conversation.