Whether you are buying your first home or your tenth, the purchase is still a big deal. You want to be sure you are getting the best price possible and that everything is what it appears to be. After visiting many homes for sale, things can get all blurred together. You need to be sure to take a notebook, and if possible a camera, to have a record of each place. Also, do not visit more than a few locations in a single day to keep things fresh in your mind. Once you get home, do a bit of research on the properties you are most interested in before making any offers.
County Assessor
When you are wondering what type of offer to make on a home, one place to research is the county assessor's property records. Most counties now have this available online. Once you have the data for the property, look at the lot size and description. Any right-of-ways will also be noted. Check to make sure that all the buildings on the property are noted in the document and that the size of them are correct. This will tell you if there have been any additions that have not been properly documented. Undocumented additions may mean there was never a building permit or inspection done. This may give you grief in the future and could be a hazard if it was not constructed properly.
Another thing to check is when the property was last sold and for how much. If the current owners have only been there a short time, they may not have enough equity in the place. This means they may not be able to lower the price much at all. However, if they have been there for years, and the place is paid off, or almost, you will be more likely to get them to come down some on the price.
Google Earth
It is a good idea to check out the property on Google Earth too. You may notice that one of the views offers an older look at the property. This will allow you to see if any changes have been made, such as new paint or a roof, landscaping, or other improvements made to the property. If the sellers have recently done improvements, you can be sure they are looking to recoup any money spent and hoping to get a higher price than what the property would have brought originally.
The Internet gives you many ways to research a property. Once you have the information and know which home best fits your needs, you can go ahead and make an offer. You will feel confident that you are getting the best price for exactly what the home offers.
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