House hunting

Before you tour

Set your non-negotiables in writing: price ceiling, commute, bedrooms, accessibility, school or transit needs. Then set your flexibility: what you would trade for a lower price or a better location. Look up each address before you go. Check the flood map, the age of the home, the property tax record if your county publishes it, and any homeowners association. A home built before 1978 comes with lead-based paint disclosure requirements, which the inspection file explains.

On the tour

Look up, down and behind. Stains on ceilings and around windows suggest water. Cracks that are wider at one end, doors that stick, and sloping floors can point to movement. Check the age labels on the water heater and the heating and cooling equipment if you can see them. Notice smells: mustiness in a basement, sewer odors, or heavy air freshener. Run taps, flush toilets and look under sinks. Note where water drains outside and whether soil slopes toward the foundation.

Take photos and short notes for each home; after six tours, details blur together. A simple score sheet with the same headings for every home makes comparison honest.

Comparing different kinds of homes

A detached house, a townhouse and a condo can have similar prices and very different costs. Compare them on the full monthly cost, including HOA dues, and on what you would be responsible for repairing. A condo fee may cover the roof and exterior; a house leaves both to you. The condo file explains how to read association documents before you commit.

Older homes, fixer-uppers and new construction

Older homes can offer space and location, but plan for systems near the end of their life and for lead paint and other legacy materials. Fixer-uppers can be bargains if the repair estimate is real and financing fits, for instance through a renovation loan. New construction brings warranties and modern systems, but also builder contracts, lot premiums and timelines that can slip. Each route has its own guide in this file.

Records worth checking

Public records can show past sales, permits for additions or major work, and the current property tax bill. Ask the seller's side for utility costs, the age of major systems and any insurance claims they know about. Sellers' disclosure obligations differ by state, so read the disclosure form you are given and ask about anything vague.

Keeping the search on track

A search drifts when every home is judged by a different standard. Use one scoring sheet, fill it in right after each tour, and revisit your must-haves after every few weekends. If nothing in your range passes, change one thing at a time: the area, the home type or the list of must-haves, before you change the budget. Keep the paperwork ready so a good home can become an offer the same day.

Checking the area, not just the house

A great house on the wrong block is still the wrong house. Before you get attached, test the commute at rush hour, visit on an evening and a weekend, and listen for traffic, rail lines and flight paths. Look up nearby public schools in the federal school search and confirm the attendance boundary with the district. Search the address on FEMA's flood map, because a high-risk zone usually means required flood insurance with a mortgage, and get a quote before you offer. Ask for the current tax bill and a rough insurance estimate, check for HOA rules and dues, and scan city or county planning agendas for projects nearby. Ask agents about facts such as commute, taxes and flood zones rather than who lives in an area, which fair housing rules keep them from describing. The neighborhood and flood zone guides list the official sources.

How to use this file

Start with the house hunting checklist to set your limits and prepare your paperwork, then use the touring guide on every showing so each home is judged the same way. Copy the tour notes into a single sheet with the same headings for every home. Look up the flood map and the age of the home before you go, not after you fall for it. When a home passes your tour and your numbers, move to the offers file, and book the inspections you will need before your contract deadlines start.