answers to how long the property has been on the market and whether it was previously listed, withdrawn, and/or relisted for a lower price. These kinds of questions can help you decide how much to offer. You’ll also need detailed information on the property, most of which will be available from the public records. A bit of research online may disclose the name of the owner, original age of the home, mortgage history, parcel number, previous sales of the property, property deeds, and any judgments or liens filed against the seller. Information about how much the property taxes are, and whether they’re paid or in arrears, will also be available in the records. You may also be able to see if there were permits obtained to make improvements to the home. These permits could complicate the sale of the property if liens were attached by workmen or improvements were not done up to code. Any title issues will be discovered when the seller's attorney runs a title search. Any liens that appear will have to be handled by the seller's attorney along with verification from your attorney and the title company.
MAKING THE CHOICE
Once you’ve done all your homework, you need to decide whether to buy the house. You must step back and evaluate all the information available to you from viewing the house, inspecting its condition, and obtaining public records.
Keep in mind:
• You will likely need to compromise on some of your priorities. No home is completely perfect, and a first
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