Buy Home Checklist
CHECKLIST

This checklist is to remind you to check out common things when visiting an open house. You may print out this checklist and bring along with you to the open house, write down the answers and comments for later comparision.
Address :
# of Bedrooms :                          Full baths :                           Half baths :                             3/4 baths :
Asking Price :
Interior
Door Quality of door?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  Close properly?      (Yes/No)
  Well painted or stained?      (Yes/No)
  Any squeak?      (Yes/No)
  Any doorstop behind the door?      (Yes/No)
  Any peep hole on main door?      (Yes/No)
  Any good quality handle on main floor? (Such as brass handle)      (Yes/No)
   
Living Room Spacious? (Yes/No)
  Layout fits your furniture? (Yes/No)
  Any fireplace? (Yes/No)
   
Vinyl Floor Any scratches, tears and lifting?      (Yes/No)
  Good Quality?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
   
Wood Floor Hard wood floor?      (Yes/No)
  Synthetic wood floor?      (Yes/No)
  Warped floor?      (Yes/No)
  Quality (Ready to replace a new one)?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
   
Carpet Floor Quality?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  How old is it?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  Same color thoughout the house? (Look more nice)      (Yes/No)
  Any stains, burn marks, torn corners?      (Yes/No)
  Any pet urine stains?      (Yes/No)
   
Kitchen Ccountertop condition?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  Good quality or look cheap?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  Any broken tiles or cracks?      (Yes/No)
  Does tiles look outdated?      (Yes/No)
  Cabinet quality and condition?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  Any cracks, dents on cabinets?      (Yes/No)
  Do the cabinets look modern?      (Yes/No)
  Any cabinet door warped or can't close properly?      (Yes/No)
  Are the appliances working?      (Yes/No)
  What is the condition of the appliances? Do they look aging?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  Does it have instant hot water?      (Yes/No)
  Is garbage disposal working? Enough power?      (Yes/No)
  Does the kitchen hood have enough power?      (Yes/No)
  Any built-in microwave?      (Yes/No)
  If it has built-in microwave, what is the condition?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
   
Dining Room Does it have wooden floor? (Easier to clean) (Yes/No)
  Is it big enough (Yes/No)
   
Tile Floor Quality?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  Any missing tiles?      (Yes/No)
  Any cracks?      (Yes/No)
  Conditions?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  Any lift up?      (Yes/No)
   
Bathroom Are cabinets looking good?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  Is countertop looking good?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  Are bathroom doors in good condition?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  Are they good quality doors?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  Enough lighting?      (Yes/No)
  Any large mirror?      (Yes/No)
  Enough storage spaces?      (Yes/No)
  Are toilets looking good?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  Any cracks in sinks or tubs?      (Yes/No)
  Any leaking or stains?      (Yes/No)
  Is faucets looking good?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  Are they tile floor?      (Yes/No)
  Are they vinyl floor?      (Yes/No)
  Any cracks on the floor?      (Yes/No)
  Any missing tiles on the floor?      (Yes/No)
   
Fireplace Does it have a screen? (Good to have)      (Yes/No)
  Does it have glass door?      (Yes/No)
  Any cracks?      (Yes/No)
   
Window Any stain?      (Yes/No)
  Any black mold?      (Yes/No)
  Any broken hardware?      (Yes/No)
  Any deterioration?      (Yes/No)
  Is it working properly      (Yes/No)
  Are they double-pane windows?      (Yes/No)
  Any rust?      (Yes/No)
   
Stairways Is it too steep or too long for you? (Yes/No)
  Enough headroom? (At least 8ft for each stair) (Yes/No)
  Any railing? (Yes/No)
  If it has carpet, is it loosened? (Yes/No)
  Any noise? (Yes/No)
   
Garage Enough parking space for you?      (Yes/No)
  Enough storage space?      (Yes/No)
  Does the garage door open and close smoothly?      (Yes/No)
  Does the garage door have emergency stop?      (Yes/No)
  Is the garage door to home is a solid door? (For fire protection)      (Yes/No)
   
Wall Any holes?      (Yes/No)
  Any cracks?      (Yes/No)
  Any marks?      (Yes/No)
  Is the paint too old?      (Yes/No)
  Are the walls insulated?      (Yes/No)
   
Water Heater Is it big enough for you whole family?      (Yes/No)
  Is it too old to replace?      (Yes/No)
  Is it tied down for earthquake?      (Yes/No)
  Any leaking sign?      (Yes/No)
   
Mirror Are the mirrors on the doors are safety glass? (Yes/No)
   
Ceiling Is it at least 8ft high?      (Yes/No)
  Any cracks?      (Yes/No)
  Any water stain?      (Yes/No)
  Does the ceiling have bowing?      (Yes/No)
  Does the beans have bowing?      (Yes/No)
  Any mold?      (Yes/No)
   
Attic Is it easy access?      (Yes/No)
  Any light spots under the roof? (means holes on the roof)      (Yes/No)
  Any insulation?      (Yes/No)
  Any leaks?      (Yes/No)
   
Basement Condition?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  Any furnace or water heater? (Seems outdated)      (Yes/No)
  Any standing water?      (Yes/No)
  Any watermarks on the walls?      (Yes/No)
  Any cracks?      (Yes/No)
  Is there enough lighting and heating?      (Yes/No)
  Enough ventilation?      (Yes/No)
   
Crawl Spaces Adequate ventilation?      (Yes/No)
  Any standing water?      (Yes/No)
  Any watermarks on piers and foundation?      (Yes/No)
  Any loosened insulation?      (Yes/No)
  Any broken vents?      (Yes/No)
   
Air-Conditioning Is it cold enough?      (Yes/No)
  Does it take long to cold the whole house?      (Yes/No)
  Are the vents located high on the walls? (Better)      (Yes/No)
  Is the system too old to replace?      (Yes/No)
  Any fan noise?      (Yes/No)
  Does the thermostat work?      (Yes/No)
   
Electrical System Adequate plugs in all rooms?      (Yes/No)
  Aree the plugs and switches too old?      (Yes/No)
  Any of them are broken?      (Yes/No)
   
Furnace Are the vents located at the bottom of the walls? (Better)      (Yes/No)
  Any vents are blocked?      (Yes/No)
  New filter?      (Yes/No)
  Any fan noise?      (Yes/No)
  Does the thermostat work?      (Yes/No)
  Is the furnace cold enough to replace? (Use more energy)      (Yes/No)
  Does it take long to warm the whole house?      (Yes/No)
   
Detector Any smoke detector?      (Yes/No)
  In every room?      (Yes/No)
  Are they operational?      (Yes/No)
  Are they in open area?      (Yes/No)
  Any carbon monoxide detector      (Yes/No)

Exterior
Lawn Does the lawn look green and healthy?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  Need to replace?      (Yes/No)
  Any weeds?      (Yes/No)
  Does it have sprinklers?      (Yes/No)
  Is the lawn flat that is easy to mow?      (Yes/No)
   
Landscaping Is the front yard well-landscaped?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  Is the back yard well-landscaped?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  Does it have a lot of cement? (It looks cheap)      (Yes/No)
   
Driveway Is it wide enough?      (Yes/No)
  Is it easy to drive to garage?      (Yes/No)
  Any craks if it is made of cement?      (Yes/No)
   
Walkway Any craks if it is made of cement? (Yes/No)
   
Fences Is the house completely fenced?      (Yes/No)
  Is the pool completely fenced?      (Yes/No)
  Does it require new painting on the wooden fence?      (Yes/No)
  Any leaning or sagging?      (Yes/No)
  Any rooten wooden fence?      (Yes/No)
  Any missing fence?      (Yes/No)
  Any rust in metal fence?      (Yes/No)
   
Pool and Spa Is it large enough?      (Yes/No)
  What is the condition?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  Any missing tiles?      (Yes/No)
  Any algae?      (Yes/No)
  Is the spa heater working?      (Yes/No)
  Is the spa noisy?      (Yes/No)
  Is the pool filter effective?      (Yes/No)
   
Porch and Deck Is it easily accessed from family room or living room?      (Yes/No)
  What is the condition?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  Is the stair at least 3ft wide?      (Yes/No)
  Does the stairs have railings?      (Yes/No)
  Any nails are popping out?      (Yes/No)
  any rotting in the deck boards?      (Yes/No)
  Any cement footings?      (Yes/No)
   
Roof Any missing shingles?      (Yes/No)
  Any discoloration?      (Yes/No)
  Any shingles are ended curve upward?      (Yes/No)
  Any visible holes?      (Yes/No)
  Any light from inside of attic?      (Yes/No)
   
Gutter Is it throughout the house?      (Yes/No)
  Any downspouts?      (Yes/No)
  Is the water directed away from spouts?      (Yes/No)
  Are the gutters clean?      (Yes/No)
  What are the conditions?      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
  Any broken gutters?      (Yes/No)
   
Drainage Is the house front is lower than street? (Water may flow in)      (Yes/No)
  Any blockages on the drainage?      (Yes/No)
  Any standing water?      (Yes/No)
  Any blockages in the gutter drain pipe?      (Yes/No)
  Is home in a floodplain?      (Yes/No)
   
Fundation Any big trees are near to the foundation?      (Yes/No)
  Any standing water near the foundation?      (Yes/No)
  Any part of the foundation is recently plastered and painted? (Something wrong?)      (Yes/No)
   
Siding Is there any dents or warping?      (Yes/No)
  Any wood stains on metal siding?      (Yes/No)
  Any popped nails? (May have bad wood)      (Yes/No)
  Any rot behind the wood siding?      (Yes/No)
  Any molding?      (Yes/No)
  Any broken or cracks on vinyl sidings?      (Yes/No)
  What is the condition      (Good/Average/Fair/Poor)
   
Pests Any termite and pest clearance?      (Yes/No)
  Any termite infestation?      (Yes/No)
   
Neighbourhood Is the neighbour quiet? (Yes/No)
  Any parking space for guests (Yes/No)
  is the secure? (Yes/No)
  Any graffiti? (Yes/No)
  Is the crime rate low? (Yes/No)
  Is it in good school district? (Yes/No)