Beyond the Four Walls: Your Essential Home Buying Checklist (4 Critical Checks)

Beyond the Four Walls: Your Essential Home Buying Checklist (4 Critical Checks)

When you're buying a home, it’s easy to get caught up in the cosmetic details. The perfect kitchen, a spacious yard, or a fresh coat of paint might seem like the most important factors. However, the savviest home buying tips involve looking far beyond the house itself. The most crucial things to consider when buying a home often have to do with the land it’s on and the community around it.

As you navigate buying a home, doing your own due diligence is key to making a sound investment. Here are four essential checks to add to your home buying checklist that you might not have thought of. Let's talk about some things to consider when buying a home, providing you with even more home buying tips!

1. How to Check for Sinkholes and Geological Hazards

Whether you're purchasing an existing home or a vacant lot, it’s vital to know if there are any sinkholes on or near the property. A sinkhole can be a serious and costly hazard, potentially compromising the structural integrity of your future home.

You can easily add this to your home buying checklist by using geological survey websites. These sites often feature interactive maps that pinpoint the locations of known sinkholes or karst geology. By typing in a property address, you can quickly determine if the area has a history of these formations and avoid a potential disaster.

So, how do you check for sinkholes?!

Just follow the link below & your 'how to check for sinkholes' questions will be answered!

Interactive Sink hole Map 

2. Is the House in a Flood Zone? Checking FEMA Flood Maps

What is a flood zone?

A flood zone is defined as a geographic area identified on FEMA's Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) that indicate a specific flood hazard risk.

Does this mean that the house will definitley flood? No. It does mean, however, that there is an increased risk that the home/property could flood.  Which is why the added expense of flood insurance is requred on any property (with a loan) located in a flood zone.

When you're buying a home, flood insurance is a significant factor in the cost of homeownership and is required for properties in a designated flood zone. While a seller is typically required to disclose this information, verifying it yourself is a smart move. Make sure to do your due diligence when buying a house by checking the official FEMA flood map, it is the best way to do your due diligence and avoid any expensive surprises.

What to check before buying a house? 👉🏻 The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides an online tool where you can enter a property address and view official flood zone maps. You can see if the house is in a high-risk flood zone and explore the risk levels of the surrounding area. This simple check is a critical part of what to check before buying a house and helps you plan your budget accurately.

Fema Flood Map

3. Checking Neighborhood Crime Rate

When you are buying a home, a top priority is finding a safe community. Your REALTOR cannot legally give a personal opinion on whether a neighborhood is "good" or "safe" (as it can be considered a fair housing ethics violation known as "steering"). However, they can and should provide you with the resources to research any area on your own.

Home buying tip 👉🏻 Do your due diligence when buying a house by checking neighborhood crime rate for any area you are looking to put down roots!

Wht to check before buying a house 🕵 There are numerous websites and online databases that track and map reported crimes in a given area giving you the ability to check the crime rate. By searching with a specific address or city whe you are buying a home, you can filter for a wide range of data, including the types of offenses, dates, times, and locations. This empowers you to make an informed decision based on factual data rather than a subjective opinion.

Crime Rate

 4. The Sex Offender Registry Check

For many families, knowing about the presence of registered sex offenders in the area is an important part of feeling secure. This is another item to add to your home buying checklist.  Do your due duligence when buying a house by researching the neighborhood or area where you & your family will be spending the most time.

What to check beore buying a house 👉🏻 The national sex offender registry is a publicly accessible database. You can search by a specific address or browse a map of the area to see if any registered offenders live nearby. Many of these sites provide detailed information, including the offender's name, address, and conviction details, giving you the information you need to make the right choice for your family before buying a home.

Sex Offender Registry

You can watch a full video here with a guided tour on all 4 of these home buying checklist items including how to check for sinkholes, check if the house is in a flood zone, checking neighborhood crime & the sex offender registry check. Remeber to do your due diligence when buying a house!

A Final Word on Your Home Buying Checklist

These four simple checks go a long way in protecting your investment and ensuring your peace of mind. By adding them to your home buying checklist, you're not just buying a home—you're investing in a safe and secure future.

You should do your due diligence in every aspect of buying a home.  These are just a piece of the home buying tips suggested to you on things to consider when buying a home.

📞 Let’s talk about your move — whether it’s now or six months from now, I’m here to help you plan it right.

417-350-6419 | christina@thehouseofsparks.com