You’ve found a house that you believe is a perfect fit, it has that rare  two master bedroom or  ideal in law suite layout. Your offer was accepted and you begin your due diligence. Now you need some confirmation that it’s everything you wanted and there are no unwanted surprises.  The inspection period, typically 10 days, is the time do to just that. The Arizona Department of Real Estate has published the  Buyer Advisory to help buyers investigate the  condition of the property,  and assist in evaluating the area surrounding the property.  There is a tremendous amount of information to review and the check list of items to investigate can be overwhelming.   The Department of Real Estate has even created the Home Buyers’ Bill of Rights to help buyers be aware of  material issues of the property.  I also created a page on my website in order to educate buyers on the home buying process. Finding a qualified home inspector will be a major part of the activites during the inspection period.  But there is more to a thorough home inspection.

An Often Overlooked Inspection Activity

I was showing houses  this past week to a couple that have relocated from Minnesota.  We were in a neighborhood that appealed to them and they were looking for confirmation that it was a nice neighborhood.  I mentioned  to them that some of the best advice I can give is to talk to the neighbors,  just as it mentions on page 8 of the Buyer Advisory:

Talk to the Neighbors “Neighbors can provide a wealth of information. Buyers should always talk to the surrounding residents about the neighborhood and the history of the property the buyer is considering for purchase.
Drive around the Neighborhood
Buyers should always drive around the neighborhood, preferably on different days at several different times of the day and evening, to investigate the surrounding area.”

I left after showing the last house. They lingered and went about finding a friendly neighbor to give them the inside scoop.  My next conversation with them was  “We talked to a couple of neighbors and now we’re sure that’s the area we want to live in.”

Neighbors are in the know when it comes to schools, traffic levels, airport or freeway noise, local government,  crime activity,  HOA rules,  and the real story about  the house you’re considering.  Make it a point during the inspection period to include a visit to your future  neighbors.  This along with the typical inspection(s)  will provide a more complete picture of the house and the neighborhood that you’ll soon be a part of.

Whether you’re looking at homes in Scottsdale or Surprise, Gilbert or Gold Canyon, Chandler or Cave Creek, make sure you don’t over look this  important information gathering technique!