Guides for buyers

Questions to ask at an open house: 15 that actually matter

You do not need to interrogate the listing agent. You need a short list that surfaces price, condition, and motivation, asked in a normal conversation while you are standing in the kitchen.

October 30, 2026

About price and timing

How long has it been on the market, and has the price changed?
How many offers, if any, have come in so far?
Is there an offer deadline, and what terms matter most to the seller?
What did comparable homes nearby actually sell for, not just list for?

About condition

How old are the roof, water heater, and HVAC system?
What work has been done in the last five years, and was it permitted?
Are there any known issues: leaks, foundation, pests, or insurance claims?
What is included, and what is the seller taking with them?

About the home and the street

Why is the seller moving, and what is their timeline?
What are the HOA dues and rules, if any, and what do they cover?
How is parking, noise, and light at night and on weekends?
Is there anything about the home or the neighbourhood a buyer usually discovers too late?

Three questions to end with

What would you fix first if you were staying?
What surprised the last buyer who toured it?
Who should I talk to next if I want to move quickly?

Write the answers down, in the home, not in your head: use Open House Notes to add a voice note or a quick note per home, with a photo of anything the answer referred to. When you compare homes later, the answers travel with the home, not with your memory of the afternoon.

A note on disclosures

Answers at an open house are a starting point, not a substitute for disclosures, inspections, and your own agent's advice. If an answer and a disclosure disagree, trust the paper, and ask again in writing. That is also why Open House Notes includes an on-device AI disclosure review: it reads the disclosure PDF and flags risks for you to check, privately, on your phone.